DELTΔ HYPER

Interviews +1

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Paul was wearing dark gray dress slacks, black dress boots, and a Team Valkyrie button up shirt. He was wearing one of the new House Enigma Team Valkyrie jackets on top of it. The jacket was a sustainable leather in an edgy moto style in a dark gray color with gold accents and piping angled for a slimming effect and broader shoulders. The Team Valkyrie logo takes up most of the back of the jacket. Paul was sitting once more on the Delta Hyper couch and next to him was one of their Junior AG pilots Scarlett Collins.

Scarlett Collins had gone through press training at Valkyrie Academy. She was a little nervous though to be sitting next to Paul Mulder. She was very aware of who he was. She had come up into Junior AG as Paul was leaving it. She had seen him race when she was coming up through the ranks. She felt she was just as good as Paul but she recognized that she still needed experience. There is a skill learning curve for each step closer you get to Formula AG racing. She was self aware enough to know that she still had a lot to learn. She already had learned a great deal at Valkyrie’s Junior Academy. They often used the data and simulators from real team races for training. She couldn’t help smiling with the confidence that she was well on her way to earning her ride in Formula AG. Scarlett was wearing jeans, sneakers, and a Team Valkyrie shirt. Her brown wavy hair was pulled back in a French braid.

"Welcome to Portugal, Paul. Your family's foundation helped get Scarlett into racing- any comments between you both on how that has progressed for young pilots entering the sport?"

Paul smiled at Aurora as she began by welcoming them to Portugal.
Paul: “Thank you Aurora. As always it's a pleasure to be here. Thank you for mentioning the Mulder Foundation and giving me an opportunity to talk about it. It means a lot to my family, especially my mother. For those who don’t know the Mulder Foundation is a nonprofit that was set up by my mother after my father’s death. She set up the foundation to honor his memory and love of racing. The foundation helps underprivileged children with their sports dreams. We provide equipment, money for training, and help getting to competitions which can price out children who live in poverty. The foundation also provides funding to children’s arts programs in Europe.”

Paul took a beat to smile at the camera and take a breath before continuing. He winks at Aurora with a conspiratorial look before revealing. He leans closer to the camera as if sharing a secret with everyone. “I am planning a big charity gala to raise awareness and money for the foundation. Details will be released soon. It is going to be quite the event. I have enlisted the help of some of my fellow rookies. The amazing Queen Bea and Hyeon-Ae of Zygon have already committed to helping out. I hope others will join me in supporting the work they do. Stay tuned as more details are coming”

He grinned into the camera and then smiled at Aurora before relaxing back into the couch. He turned to Scarlett with a surprised smile. “I didn’t know that you got support from the Mulder Foundation. You are doing very well on the Junior AG circuit which is why Valkyrie’s Academy picked you up. Congrats on that Scarlett! That is quite the achievement.” He turned back to Aurora. “Scarlett has a very aggressive style. She just goes full throttle all the time with no fear. I want to point out that she is from Britain. Silver Apex could have scooped her up but they didn’t! Not all drivers supported by the Mulder Foundation end up in Valkyrie’s Academy. Why don’t we hear from Scarlett about how she feels about the support she has received from the Mulder Foundation? ” He grinned into the camera.

Scarlett sat waiting. She didn’t expect to say much since Paul was sitting next to her as one of the new rising stars of Formula AG. He didn’t have any wins yet but he was in his Rookie year and competing on the main circuit. She was surprised when Aurora asked about the Mulder Foundation. She was more surprised to hear that Paul was personally involved in supporting the Foundation. She thought it was a nonprofit set up to honor his father but run by other people. She thought the family only came out in support a few times a year. She was pleasantly surprised to find out that it meant something to him. Scarlett was still working hard to curb a prejudice she developed against rich folks. She grew up poor and life was a struggle for everything. It was hard to not to color all rich folks as people who could have anything they wanted and got it by buying it. She froze as Paul asked her to share her experience with the foundation. Her press training went right out the window as she panicked a little.

Paul saw the moment Scarlett froze and the panicked look in her eye. He smiled and drew attention away from Scarlett. He took her hand and gave it a supportive squeeze. “I think I surprised Scarlett. It’s okay Scarlett. Just share how the Foundation helped you get to where you are today. Okay?”

Scarlett swallowed hard and gave Paul a grateful smile as she quickly recovered her composure. “I would not be here today without the Mulder Foundation. My Ma died when I was really young. It's always been just my Da and Me. He worked hard in the factory but life was a struggle. You know?” She shrugged a little. “He is a big racing fan. He watches it all! His favorite is Formula AG. He started taking me to the local Kart races because admission was free for kids under 14. I fell in love with racing when I was 8. It’s all I ever wanted to do. My Da couldn’t afford to buy a Kart, pay for training, or transportation to competitions. I heard about the Mulder Foundation and applied. They supported my rookie year in Karting. They paid for my first kart, training, and the travel expenses. I got picked up by a sponsor at the end of my first year. I wouldn’t have had the opportunity to even get started without them. I was never pressured to race for any one team or in certain races. It was just solid support that came without strings attached. It’s a great charity and I am so grateful that they were there for me.”

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Round 5 of Formula Anti-Gravity Racing
Saturday 6th May, 2094
Post-Qualifying
Portuguese AGP

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Paul was feeling good about this race. He had a blast with the karts. It got him pumped up for the main event here in Portugal. This track would be a fun one for him. This track was less about speed and more about finesse and skill. The curves forced you to slow down. This circuit was short for Formula AG and the speeds these ships could hit during a race. There was no mag tracking here to force the ship to stay in the lane. The antigravity generators lifted the ships off the tarmac to float above it. Only the skill of the pilot and aerodynamic downforce keep a ship on the track. The spectators are protected by the repeller shield barricades that line the track. That prevents ships or debris from leaving the track entirely. This circuit was hilly and the ships would be going up and down quickly on this small compact circuit. Italy was good training for this track for the undulation you see at this track.

Paul waited at the starting line for the light to turn green. He tugged his harness straps tighter. He flexed his fingers in his racing gloves. He made sure they were supple and comfortable. He began the deep breathing exercises. Paul had found that the deep breath exercises he had been taught did help him some during the race. He noticed he had better focus and his body stood up the g forces better. He had to admit that the neural chip and cognitive training was paying off as well. He was able to handle the absolute massive amount of data from the ship without being overwhelmed by the telemetry he had access to. He had his holographic dashboard set up to his liking. He had already performed his systems check. He was ready for the race to start.



Paul shot off the starting line. He had others in front of him but he focused on what he needed to do. He pushed hard for the first turn. He let off the throttle and took his line into the corner and feathered the throttle coming out of the turn and nailed it as he shot away from the corner. Then that magical thing happened where the rest of the world seems to fade away and it is just Paul and the ship on the track. He smiles as he feels like his father is racing right there with him. His focus becomes the track and the next curve and the next hairpin corner. How fast can he do it? Paul is in his zone and is on a flier. He flew through sector 2 on the next lap.

Paul heard his race engineer Carmella voice in his ear. “2 seconds from Cassie's pace.”

Paul smiled as he mentally was chanting smooth is fast as he kept up his momentum in the curves and corners. The ship was responding well and Paul’s sim training for the track was paying off. His instincts for placing his racing line into and out of the corner was spot on. He pushed as much speed as he could.

He heard Carmella’s voice in his ear once more. “Good Pace.”

Paul charged hard towards the finish line. He opened up the throttle and easily took that last curve out of Sagres.

Carmella cheered in his ear as she told him. “Congrats Paul on P3!”

Paul was triumphant. Finally! Hopefully he would retain P3. Now he just needed to repeat this tomorrow. He threw his fist in the air thinking to himself. Thanks Dad. I miss you.

---

Alexander was waiting for Paul in the pit. Alexander couldn’t tell Paul how relieved he was that the team was finally seeing some positive results at the races. It was just qualifying but it gave him hope for tomorrow. He hoped the team came out with a good points haul from Portugal. He hoped if they did well here the pressure from the powers above would back off just a little. He was still reeling over having to replace his lead engineer. That process was in the works and it was messy but that was life. Cavan couldn’t be in Portugal this weekend. He was back in England packing his family for a temporary move to Germany. Cavan was starting Monday and Alexander was more grateful for that than he could say. At least they might salvage something from this season. Alexander waited while one of the pit crew helped Paul out of the ship before he moved in.

Alexander smiled at Paul. “Well done Paul! Congrats on P3! That’s amazing. I knew you could do it. Your father would be proud.”

Paul smiled at Alexander and accepted the offered congratulations with a handshake. “Thank you Alexander.”

Alexander gave him a nod and turned to check in with the mechanics and engineers. He was standing in as lead engineer this weekend. He was lending his support to Helga who was here running things in the paddock this weekend. Alexander had started paying attention to what was said around his female staff by other teams and their staff passing the Valkyrie paddock on their way to other places. Alexander was familiar with the shit talking that teams did to one another. That he let go as it was par for the course. He had not forgotten what the mechanics had shared with him. Because he was a well recognized team principal they didn’t seem to use that kind of language when they saw he was in the paddock. So far this race has been a positive experience.

Zap Sports Drinks had a booth in the Valkyrie Fan Zone and were passing out drinks here in Portugal. Paul, Alexander, and Dorian had all stopped by the booth to do some social media posts while drinking their favorite flavor. I Can’t Believe It's Not Meat was serving the masses out in the food court. Alexander hadn’t had time to work on the Quantinium Computer sponsorship with Burkhardt leaving. That took his focus and was a priority. He would need to prioritize that contract next week amidst onboarding Cavan and the new engineers he was bringing with him. He hoped their luck held here in Portugal and that Paul was able to repeat this performance tomorrow.

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Social Media

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OfficeDrone#12: OMG Paul qualified in P3! How exciting!
SuperfanAGR54: Yes! This is what I was hoping to see from Valkyrie!
DantheMan: This is more like it.
BatDave: I am Batman!
Superfan2075: Better
DadBod89: P3 is much better. Dorian is still middle of the pack though.
Hater101: It was bound to happen sooner or later.
Papabear34: #GoMulder
Nana2050: Go team!
GeorgeFly: Things look promising
ValkyrieFan56: P3 is good
Weedhead81: Way to go Paul! I told you some weed would help you relax man.
SexyM@m@5: @valkyriedorian Call me!
Paulmulder4eva: @valkyriepaul Call me!
Britball12: I will wait for the race results
!YouSlow!: Better but waiting for race results
xImFasterthanUx: Hmmmm
AGInthusiast: Qualifying is not the race
micheal650004: Improvement
Bertha: Qualifying is not the result. Waiting for the race results.

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”I thought you had the week off?” Akela Ward sipped her tea in Bea’s living room, ”Strange to spend it working.”
”Remember what they say about not working a day in your life if you love your job?” Bea asked as she set down the clear coat spray she was covering her helmet with. She got a weird idea during the last school visit she did, and it was panning out nicely. ”I like sharing my passions with other people who enjoy them. Especially kids. It’s a whole new set of questions you don’t usually hear.”
”But you need to remember to take time for yourself, even if this is your hobby, as you call it.”
”I am. You tripped over a painting when you were taking your coat off, remember?” She reminded her mother. High time for another giveaway, they were starting to overflow into the hallway again.
”Maybe you should also make time to clean, then.” The Ward matriarch returned her daughter’s mischievous grin.
”Funny… I was going to on Friday, but then I got Eva’s message and I am NOT missing that.”
”Ah, yes, the elusive Prince Charming, finally revealed.”
”Aerospace Researcher Charming, I think.”
”Of course. You didn’t seem surprised when she shared that. Makes me wonder what else you know?” She tried to pry.
”You didn’t raise us to go back on our word.” Bea shook her head, ”Be patient, it’s only three days.”
”You did not just tell someone else to be patient.” Both women had to laugh at the absurdity of that.

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Thu 22/04 11:26 PAUL MULDER [Batt: 98%]

> Just read about your head engineer, everything OK “at home”?

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ThrottleMeMommyVillarosa: What does everyone make of all the chaos at Valkyrie?
TurboLover: Where is that truther guy when you need him?
TiresAndTinfoil: I think they got something on Bea. Why else would she agree to the Mulder charity gig when his team is under so much scrutiny atm?
MadBea: Are “doing nice things for your friends” or “occam’s razor” are a thing in your world?
GalwayGirl: That’s EXACTLY what someone being blackmailed would say! :P
MadBea: Galwaaaaay! Stop feeding trolls. :D
Xinny: She’s not feeding trolls, she IS the troll.

Thu 22/04 11:28 ACE [Batt: 96%]

> Let me know how you’re doing when you can, will you?
^{[You reacted with ❤️]}
> I’m in one piece, thanks.
> Forecast looks bad for We and Th, flyout to Japan as normal, ad shoot on Friday.
^{[“Ace” reacted with 👍]}
> Fujikura shoot at 0700.
> WHEN?!

> Waiting outside.
> Out in a bit.
> Do I want to know how long ago you got out of bed?
> I refuse to answer.
> Good tip with the dam, thanks.
> Don’t mention it.
> I’m taking the crew out for dinner to celebrate, you lot coming along? It’s palazzo di Gusto, at five.
> We’ll be there.
> You’ve been to Luna before, any tips to share?
> The horizon is only 2,41 klicks away, so you’ll have to get used to judging distances differently.
> Greatly diminished braking action and loose handling because of no atmosphere.
> How loose, like driving on gravel? The beginning of aquaplaning?
> I have no idea what either of those feel like.
> Slight delay between steering input and actually turning, understeer due to lower traction.
> God I need to get you out offroading someday.
> Yeah, pretty much that.
> You’ll also be carrying oxidizer on board. The ship will be heavier. And if you have a fire, stop and bail immediately.
> Don’t even try to find a safe place to stop, just do it and get out.
> Got it.
> And don’t hit your head on the ceiling.
> I think you have a fan. 😛
[Screenshot of an online conversation featuring the username ‘ThrottleMeMommyVillarosa’]
> Oh God
> Why do you willingly engage with these people?
> Now you see what I meant by “mad” =/= “insane”?
> And if I didn’t, they’d make you do it.
> Point.

---

The Carrera Condor ship returned to the pits, stopping at the usual marks. The lengthened cockpit opened and a young woman with a face almost as green as the highlights on Bea’s racing suit staggered out, holding onto her partner helping her down to the ground.
Bea was right behind her, untangling herself from the harness in the back seat of the tandem cockpit of the modified 2090 ship and jumping down. ”I need a rag and bucket!” She called out into the garage, causing the nearby Ava to lift her head up from instructing the next person in for the ride along.
”Did you scare away a fan?”
”I asked her if she ate before this. She said no.” Bea groaned exasperatedly, ”You didn’t eat recently, did you?” She turned to the fan waiting for his turn, the man shaking his head as a mechanic brought a rag and bucket.
”See something new every day I guess?”
”Actually, I have driven with vomit in my footwell before, but at least this time I have an enclosed helmet and it wasn’t mi-”
”Eugh, too much information.” Ava waved at Bea to get her to be quiet.

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DELTΔ HYPER

Episode 5: The Atlantic Breeze

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When Bea arrived for the interview, Elise had already been there, talking to some Swiss journalist Bea didn’t recognize. She eased up her steps, sneaking up to the junior series pilot, standing behind her left shoulder and quickly gesturing for a Delta Hyper crewmember to act natural when he saw her and activated a camera drone.
She gave Elise 20 seconds before slowly reaching around her back and tapping her on the right shoulder, the Andorran pilot turning to the right before realizing what was happening and quickly changing sides before Bea had time to side step into her blind spot.
“How long has she been standing there?” Elise turned to the journalist, knowing he must have seen her and said nothing.
”An hour or so.” Bea beat him to the answer.

"Beatrix, Elise, welcome to Delta Hyper. Elise, are you excited for your first round in Junior AG? How's the team been?" Aurora asked, her usual chirp coming in, knowing the beaming smile on the footage was definitely not fake.

"Oh yeah, it's really exciting. Bea has been really busy so we haven't really caught up much, but her sim data has been great, and it is so cool to see the team on top. First season here after Formula 3, so I'm excited to see what I can do!"

"And Bea, anything for the journey you would suggest to Elise to know from your experiences so far?"

”I would suggest you don’t learn from people who are still learning themselves. Blind leading the blind and all.” Bea shrugged, ”Whatever I think I’ve learned so far, the sample pool is so small I don’t know if I even drew the correct conclusions or if I’m just lucky.” She explained further.
”I guess, don’t try to be what you’re not, on or off the track, find your groove and stick to that. History’s full of drivers who switched teams, sat in a car that handled differently and fell off a cliff, unable to adapt.” She tried to actually answer the question, ”But don’t be too good, or they’ll kick me out.” She added with a grin.

---

The interior cameras came to life, showing Bea’s helmet covered with smiley faces, stickers and good luck wishes from the schoolkids she talked to in the week after italy, plus a few empty spaces where she had to scrub off a dick or two before clearcoating the helmet to make sure the permanent marker didn't smudge or rub off.

The main straight ended deceptively fast. T4 was the first struggle, the crest visibly upsetting the Carrera Condor ship, only quick stickwork keeping Bea within the track limits. T5 would’ve been a handful a few weeks ago, but the handling upgrade was notable. The first big problem came in the form of T10, the blind corner over crest - a terrain feature she grew to hate in her first year in rally and hasn’t accepted since - combined with less than ideal amount of time in the sim making her miss the braking point and brake early, wasting precious time.
’Idiot!’
The shameful display was completed with another wobbly moment in T13 compromising entry into T14. This, Aurora, was a qualifying to forget.

”Not what we wanted, but well done, considering.” Alistair maintained a neutral tone as Bea slowed down, staying off the racing line to let Paul by on his outlap.
”We knew it would be bad here. Really missing that week, but we didn’t burn out and there will be gains elsewhere.” Bea shrugged verbally, or rather double nonverbally given her setup, already counting all the ‘cope’ accusations in her head. ”We’re going easy on Zygon, Cassie’s home race and all.” Bea chuckled.
”How nice of us.” Alistair joined the chuckles.

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ChesterFromChester: Americans still fistfighting each other in NASCAR once or twice a season, hockey players almost putting each other through the barriers, everyone sleeps. The Korean drone gets insulted: Real shit.
DohnJoe: dont hate us cause we know how to have fun
Galenhulme: Because FA is a gentleman’s sport. These drivers should behave to a higher standard than some brutes on skates.
TruckerTim: OK, sports Hitler…
Xinny: It’s absolutely criminal because the rematch between those two would’ve been fire.
Exxalibur: You mean the European would’ve cracked like last time, if she could even make up 4 places?
Darkstar69: @SmolNjol Seriously uncool of you to record a conversation like that.
SmolNjol: Don’t say things you don’t want public in public. She’s right, anyway. Watch FIAR throw a fit over that too just prove the point by accident.
CloroxEnjoyer: More people should speak out against this. They can’t penalize everyone.
Zero: Austria F1 GP 2023 would like a word. [Link to the full list of penalties from the race]

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DELTΔ HYPER

Post Qualifying Press

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Paul had just finished his qualifying run. He was still in his racing suit. He had pulled off his helmet and the fireproof balaclava that he wore under his helmet. He had handed them off to Carmella. He gave her a huge smile as she slapped an orange flavored Zap drink into his hand. He guzzled it down before turning to Carmella.

Paul: “I don’t think the ship could be set up any more perfectly. The only thing that would make it better at this point is a little more speed. But the handling and stability are great for this circuit. Please give my thanks to the engineering team and mechanics. The ship is slaying! I can’t wait till tomorrow. Set up the qualifying telemetry in the trailer for review. I will go over it again later tonight.”

Carmella gave him a nod and jotted a few notes on her tablet after handing his helmet off to another team member. Carmella pointed to the press that were gathered outside the paddock hoping for a sound bite from him.

Carmella: “The Culture Vultures are already circling. Go on and get it done. I will have this set up and ready for you later when you are ready for it.”

Paul ducked into the back of the paddock and used a wet towel to cool down. He washed the sweat from his face and rubbed vigorously at his head. The cooling effect was immediate and a welcome relief from the heat here in Portugal and from the cabin of the ship. He ran a quick comb through his hair and found a sponsor hat to wear with the press. He planned to hold a Zap drink so he picked up the I Can’t Believe It's Not meat hat. He then put on some aviator style sunglasses. It was bright out. He then went to the entrance of the paddock where the press were congregating.

Paul waited as the obligatory drones took video and flashes went off in his face. He was grateful that he thought to grab his sunglasses.

“Lauri Ivan with Victory Racing Laps News. Paul, how does it feel to get P3? Do you think you will be able to repeat your performance tomorrow and win your first podium?”

Paul gave them a humble but charming smile. “Well Lauri, It feels fantastic to place well but we have to wait for the rest of the racers to finish before we know if I have secured the P3 position. As far as getting on the podium tomorrow, well I certainly hope so. I try to win every race but that is not always possible. I like my chances here in Portugal though.” He gave her a winning smile.

“Jabari Biko with Worldwide Sports. Paul, How do you feel about all the controversy and drama that has followed Team Valkyrie since Alexander Knight took over?”

Paul kept his expression neutral as he took a moment to contemplate how to answer that question. “Change is always difficult and tumultuous. I would argue Jabari that it depends on whose point of view you are reporting. As for mine, I support the changes that Alexander Knight has brought to the Team.”

“Shannon Taylor with AG Source. Do you feel that Felix Burkhardt leaving will impair Team Valkyrie’s chances for a winning season.”

Paul gave Shannon a bright smile. “I would say that Felix Burkhardt is an amazing engineer of great integrity. He has already set Valkyrie up for a great season. While his leaving was sudden and unexpected, engineers change teams for a variety of reasons. I wish Felix all the best no matter where he lands. Whoever he goes to work for will be getting an amazing engineer.”

“Dave Harris with Autosport. Would you comment on the rumors going around the paddock that Cavan Mitchell was stolen from Fitzroy?”

Paul couldn’t help but laugh as this was the first time he had heard this particular rumor. “I can’t believe you just asked me that after Cavan Mitchell’s fiery exit from Fitzroy that was caught on camera and shared after the Tokyo Grand Prix.” It took Paul a moment to stop laughing since this was a ludicrous rumor. “I will say that Alexander Knight recruited a talented engineer that was available after Burkhardt left. Cavan Mitchell was publicly a free agent when he was approached by Valkyrie. I am looking forward to working with Mr. Mitchell. I question your integrity and sources there Harris.”

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Thu 22/04 11:26 PAUL MULDER [Batt: 98%]

> Just read about your head engineer, everything OK “at home”?

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Sat 06/05 Formula AG Pilot Group Chat

PAUL MULDER: Well the cat is out of the bag now. Would any of you other pilots be interested in supporting a fundraising and awareness campaign for the Mulder Foundation? I would be happy to discuss details privately with any of you. I want to thank Bea and Hyeon-Ae for already agreeing to be a part of the event.

---

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“Control, this is Hamid. All systems are green. Let’s see what she can do,” the Morroccan test pilot said. He gave the instrumentation a final glance-over, then tightened his focus on the controls, and with an imagined flick of the mind, the engines pulsed, magnetic vectoring aligned and the ship rocketed forward. The track ahead was lit up by drone-carried holographic markers, each perfectly positioned to put their new setup - and secretly its pilot - to the test. “Handling’s solid as always,” Hamid reported through strained but practiced breaths as he hit each checkpoint milliseconds ahead of its benchmark. “Engines are beastly. She wants to be pushed.” And so he did. In the control room, the operators couldn’t help but smile as they heard the unmistakable exhilaration in his voice. “Woo!” he shouted as yellow warning lights came on concerning the unusual rate at which the ship devoured the track. And upon his return to the garages, applause greeted him. As he climbed out, he clapped the mechanics on their backs in cheer. “Yeah, we’re going places with this one.”

---

The slow drone of the simulation cluster was peppered by sharp bursts of comments as Layla and Kais ran the gamut on the Portugal track. Their physical check-ups after Italy had come and gone, as had the brooding of their chief medical officer. All in all, a strange feeling of pressure had been building despite their recent successes.

In-mind, the multicolored wireframe snake that was the Autódromo do Algarve had their full attention. Layla blazed through the corners of the tightly packed hillside, dodging opponents in all its claustrophobic hooks and turns, but Kais noticed her times were slipping. He mentally clicked off the simulator. “You’re getting slower,” he said, his voice matter-of-factly, and more than pointedly confrontational. Layla threw her head round to face him. “And you’re still not as funny as you think.” “I’m serious,” Kais pressed. “Is it the modulator? Or is it you?” Layla’s face soured with an uncharacteristic frustration. “What do you want me to say, Kais? Having to break out the ice this often is annoying, fine. But I’m not stopping.” Luna was coming up. Things had to be perfect then. “Worry about yourself more.”

The next run was bad. ‘The safehouse! Tell us where it is!’ The cold barrel pressed against his head.

The one after that, worse. ’You’re not alone,’ The light faded from his eyes. ‘I’m here. I’ll make it mean something.’

Then, it was over fast. Layla’s craft swerved in strange ways, her vitals spiked on the display. A red alert illuminated her pod, and the simulator auto-cut its power. Kais was out of his seat in seconds, cursing under his breath, but the safety mechanisms had done their job, kicking in before she felt the full psychological punch of being a craft ripped apart. The sim engineer rushed in with a precautionary coolant dispenser, but Layla went to sit up straight and waved them away in protest. “I’m still functioning. I’m fine,” she said. “I’m fine.”

---

Team Principal Omar paced the conference room, his voice filled with determination as he opened the meeting with the usual formalities. Many of the seats had department leads and experts for the monthly review, but two of the seats in the room were occupied by faceless holographic tags with names Kais had never seen before. Who was Omar in talks with?

“We’ve come too far to fail now.” Omar stated. “Al Saqr is not just any team. We are the Falcons. We fly fast, and soar high. We do not just race, we redefine. What it is to race, what it is that we are capable of. And our results this year speak for themselves. Nine points behind Silver Apex. Nine. That’s nothing, if we play our cards right.” His eyes swept the room, to the faceless holo’s, then to Layla and Kais, and Kais swore his eyes narrowed the slightest bit. Then he turned back to the room, and started with the first points on the meeting’s agenda. “How are developments?”

“Our tests on the magnetic vectoring and pulse drive have been a great success.” Dalia Mansour, of propulsion, said. “With the increased control the neural interface gives us, we have been able to increase the speed in simulations without too much risk. We have already trialed the new engine-grid layout with Hamid.” Beside her, the Moroccan junior test pilot nodded in agreement. “It turns as tight as ever, but has a higher speed capability. We’re still hammering out some remaining kinks, but by Silverstone, we should reliably be able to hit an extra 9%, sustained.”

CMedO Salma Nasri’s voice cut through. “That’s great for the ships, but what about the pilots? Layla’s diagnostics are deteriorating. Overheating is a regular occurrence, even in practice sessions. Risk of overstimulation is close to 12% now. We’re pushing her systems too hot in my professional opinion,” she said with emphasis - she seemed to have waited for this moment to throw down the gauntlet, and pressed a touch-key on her holo-tablet. Various graphs of rising data points appeared in mid-air beside a full-body scan of Layla’s body, displaying heating in most of her synthetic systems. Parts that originally laid in the yellow margin of caution, were now starting to run into the orange-red, apparently incapable of keeping up with cooling her down the more data and fine-grained micro-controllers they tried to shove into her. It effectively made her an additional supercomputer cluster within the ship, but clearly not without risk. A risk which Layla wasn't alone in: Kais' own inculcated reflex loops seemed to handle their neural link slightly better, but they started pushing less-than-pleasant memories, and made for absolutely debilitating headaches at times.

Layla turned towards their team’s head doctor, her gold eyes lit by determination and practiced excuses. “Yes, we have been overclocking the systems: we have a lot of information now to know exactly where we can push it. I can handle it.” Salma’s expression hardened. “You think you can handle it. But the numbers don’t lie, Layla: you’re burning through your systems faster than they can recover. If you keep going like this you’re going to break down your mods before long.” “I have backups, they’re replacable.” “And what about you? Not every track has snow for emergency cooldown, Layla! What do you think a crash at these levels would do to you?”

Juan Diaz, lead mechanic on the energy systems, spoke up. “If I may, we have started work on hooking up the pilots’ internals straight into the ship’s cooling systems, besides continuing the work on the neural mod, of course,” he said, passing the torch to head neural engineer Remi Tewe. “Indeed. We’re pushing data streams we never dreamt possible, and we’ve been spreading them over the pilots’ neurological systems mostly by intuition, but optimizing the mappings for each pilot is difficult. We’re progressing steadily, but both of these developments need more time, frankly. I don’t know any team that does cooling of their pilots this way, for one, and most neural links only map into the shallow layers of the cortical structure. I don’t think we’ll have a fully production-ready version until Monaco, and we’re making overtime finetuning it for Luna, but if there are too many concerns, we could limit the modulator to keep the risk within safety margins for the next race.”

As he went on to discuss the details, Kais leaned in towards Layla, his voice low enough it wouldn’t be heard on the recording of the meeting’s minutes, but still firm. “No shame in a tactical retreat, Layla, you have been acting nervous lately, you’re pushing yourself too hard.”

Layla turned. “Wasn’t it you who supported the neural modulator adaptations to begin with? You wanted to push the limits just as much! And now you want me to backpedal, when we’re this close to a breakthrough? Go ahead! But I’m not stopping. I know what’s at stake, and I’m not going to let the team down now.”

The meeting continued for some time, discussing testing, finances and other pressing matters, but none caught Kais’ attention any further. Then Omar closed the meeting, and people went back to their business as usual. Later, in his office, a strange chirping came over the data lines, likely some of the usual interference from so many digital systems interacting. But to Omar, having the cryptographic decryption key, it sounded more like ‘The ministry is pleased. Our investment stands.’

---

The lab was lit, the machines on standby hummed soflty. Kais leaned over the neural calibration console, his brow furrowed - concentration, or frustration? Nadia shuffled in with some reluctance, her eyes red from having rubbed them for pretty much the entire duration of the trip back to the labs. “You know, I do need to sleep sometimes,” she muttered and put down a pair of Zap energy drinks as she took her place beside him.

“We’re changing the setup,” Kais began without preamble. “I’ve been replaying Layla’s races for the past few hours now. I think I know what her overclocking feels like. Now we need to find the edge of the knife, and nudge it back a little, just enough. I need you to go over diagnostics.”

---

The holo-screen flickered to life in the small living quarters Layla technically, physically, called her home. She made sure to adjust her positioning: everytime she saw her own reflection in the holographic screens, she found that her prosthetics defaulted to sitting more like a statue than anything else. Then, the scheduled call went through as it did every week, at exactly the same time, and the visuals of her parents came through, soft, aged, fragile.

“Layla,” her mother’s voice echoed through the speakers, her Jordanian Arabic dialect thick. “How are you? How are things over in the big city?” The question came through as it did every week, at exactly the same time. And as always, there was pride and joy in her eyes, but also that look. That look for her to simply come home. “Oh you know, busy.”

Layla sighed, and she quickly shifted the topic to her parents. “How’s the store doing?” Her mother went through the mundanity about their small store, their customers, gossip, that one handsome guy that would be such a catch. Layla made sure to nod and laugh at the right moments. But the unspoken still lingered. “Sounds like you’ve been having your hands full with it. You do seem to have gotten more grey again!”

“Well, you know us, we like to worry a lot.” Her father replied, half off-camera. “We saw the race last week. Very impressive, binti. We couldn’t dream of achieving anything like that.” And Layla tsk-ed. She had been so, so close to Amy. And yet, short of the mark. Again. “It went okay. Could’ve been more. I felt it again, though. We’re so close now.”

Her mother didn’t even acknowledge it. “Well, whatever ‘it’ is, you look tired of it. Are you sleeping alright? Eati-- nourishing yourself well?” Her father’s voice cut in from somewhere off-screen, a low voice, but clearly still meant for Layla to hear. “It’s no use, habibti. She’ll just say we don’t understand. Just like with everything else. We're just shop owners, after all, we didn't get that fancy state-funded 'education'. And now our little binti is off ‘becoming more’. Fulfilling that purpose of hers.” He scoffed a little, his voice halfway between disapproval and desperation, and under his breath he whispered, “Machines and tools have a purpose. If only she understood how much more she is than that.” A defeated sigh finished the comment, then he went to grab something to drink.

The conversation turned back awkwardly, and Layla went over the usual things. Colleagues. Stupid meetings. The next race. Then her father sighed heavily, and stepped into frame. “Promise us you’ll be careful.” “I promise,” Layla said softly, even as every fibre of her being rebelled against the words. Her parents exchanged a quick glance, smiling through their worry. “Good luck in Portugal. We’ll be watching.” Her mother finished. “Thanks, I’ll make you proud!” “Same time next week?” “Same time every week.”

Then the holo-screen cut to black. ‘Connection closed’.

---

The trip to Portimão, Portugal had been uneventful when it came to the day-to-day operations, but the tension within the Al-Saqr crew was palpable. They had gotten away with the neural modifications on sheer luck it seemed, both in terms of results and in keeping it under the radar of the regulators, but how long could that last? The Autódromo Internacional do Algarve glimmered with its minimalist sheen, and inside the paddock, the usual pre-race preparation bustled: the setup of the racers, the garages, the data pipelines, the quiet, streamlined confidence. Yet Layla’s usual optimism, the very glue that had held the team together in their focus and drive for years now, had made way to an almost nervous atmosphere. Kais noticed her eyes flashed over to him, her fingers hovering over the neural calibration panels. Then she stood up and barged up to him. “You think I wouldn’t notice during practice?” she said with a low voice, but with an accusatory combative edge he hadn’t expected coming from her petite stature compared to his own. Behind his back, Kais gestured to Nadia to stay out of it, and she quickly busied away to other tasks. “The last config of my modulator got your fingerprints all over it, pushing the update at what, 3am? You tampered with it!”

“I put in some guardrails.” Kais said, his voice authoritative, hoping she would accept it if he made it sound like there simply wasn’t another option, and that it wasn’t an issue at all. “Very well calibrated. Shouldn’t hinder you. But it should keep the mods from melting right out of your body.”

Layla stared him down, an anger in her eyes Kais hadn’t seen from her before. “What happened to not coddling me, huh? Kais, I need you to trust me to know my limits. Now more than ever: we can’t afford to go back to the drawing board when we’re this close!” And Kais hissed back. “Listen, I get it, Luna’s coming up, and you don’t want to feel like you’re holding us back. But...”

“No, you don’t get it, Kais.” Layla snapped back, her eyes cast into the sky in frustration. “Why am I always supposed to push the breaks because someone else is afraid of the future?” Layla said, a restlessness building. “This isn’t just about me!” She left a silence as she breathed in. “Look, you’re not the only one who’s been through shit, alright! Luna is a dangerous place. Mining cave-ins, regolith slides, I’ve had friends taken by radiation sickness. Ever seen a micrometeorite hit? Every frontier takes its toll, Kais. But we can’t let it hold us back. We fight on. For all of us, and for all those that didn’t make it. We break through. Break free. I thought of all people, you would understand...”

Kais stood his ground as he was trained to. Staring her down, taking her in. As he did, he couldn’t help feeling admiration for her spirit. But there was something else too, a feeling which, to anyone else in the world, would be instantly recognizable as fear. “You know what?” Layla slightly softened, her prosthetic shoulders dropping the tension that was never really there to begin with. “For all that big talk about pushing limits you’ve grown a mighty big soft spot.”

“Maybe.” Kais said. Nodded. Grabbed his bag. Hesitated. Then, before walking off towards the track, with eyes cast away, admitted: “I didn’t think it’d come to this. And I didn’t think I’d care.” The words came difficult. “If you think you can handle it, I’ll stand behind you. If you can’t…? The future can wait. Just, whatever you do… don’t make me watch another teammate go down.”

And later, in qualifications, their times suffered. First up was Amy again. Paul and Nora did fantastic. Cassie, Jamie Hart and Han close behind. Then Kais at 9th, and then, Layla came behind all of them at a disappointing 12th. She sat in the pit, her eyes aimed up but looking at nothing. Her mind turned inwards to her neural link’s version control. Her hands clenched, migraine throbbing - she needed more, more processing power -, the midnight update taunted her. Layla felt her cybernetic eyes ache with all-too-human phantom tears. Then she chose ‘Delete’.

---

"Kais, Hamid, welcome to Delta Hyper."

Kais offered a nod, letting Hamid take the lead. Kais was not in the mood for interviews, especially not with the Arabic Union pilot next to him. He seemed to be everything Kais wasn’t: aside from Layla, Hamid had been the inspirational face of their team in their public relations towards the younger generations of the Union and beyond. The young pilot was eager. Maybe a bit too much.

"Thank you for having us. It is a pleasure to be here. And among winners, too."

"Absolutely, and you have two older, wise pilots to learn from and work with."

"Yes, Layla and Kais are pushing boundaries, and they are an inspiration."

"Well, that is very nice of you, Hamid. Kais, do you think from being a little older on the grid, you are a good mentor for younger pilots?"

The question was deceptive, and it gnawed at Kais’ composure. He tapped his knee with his fingers. The question made him sound like a relic to be phased out, like he didn't have much more to give, despite modern medicine and his genetic modifications. He crossed his arms. “Mentor,” he said, and sucked in some air through his teeth, as if tasting the word, then let it out in a slow exhale. “Racing isn’t something you can just pass down like that. It’s more personal. What works for one might not for someone else. And Hamid’s got talent. It’s up to him where and how far he takes it.”

Hamid smiled. “That’s humble of you to say, Kais. But talent is nothing without guidance.” Very slick.


“Alright then,” Kais said as he leaned back, his gaze sharply measuring up his counterpart's every reaction. “First lesson: how you handle pressure is a large part of the work. Most younger candidates fold when the going gets tough. First crash, first controversy, first team disagreement, and they're out. How would you deal with such things, Hamid, especially with so many in the Union looking up to you?”

Hamid donned his attractive smile, leaned back, one leg over the other in laid-back confidence. “The Arabic Union has given me so much. Bearing its flag is an honor. One I’ll gladly weather any pressure for, both on the track and off. And getting to share it with legends? With you and Layla? I’ll just have to make sure to work hard every day to catch up to you.”

He crossed his arms, mirroring Kais’ pose, and the warmth of his smile sharpened into an edge. “‘cause that’s the thing about racing too, isn’t it? You’re only as good as your last one. And I’m going to make sure my next one will be one to remember.”

“And the one after that…” And his smile grew.

“And the one after that…”

---

---

The Top Dog

Sitting down in the couch, the early-60s, silver haired, polo-shirt wearing copy of what some would have said was a little Richard Branson, a little Bernie Ecclestone, yet all English guru of the sport, was here to be interviewed and Aurora was fast to open.

"Royston Pearce. Thank you for your time, we understand you are extremely busy, so..."

"The pleasure is mine, Aurora."

"So, take us through it, for the audience at home, who may not know the history. How did we get here with AG racing?"

"Well. It all started in 2072. So, I used to run a team, Williams-Porsche in the old Formula One series, but heard from an old friend of mine in the grapevine there was something I had to see. Something transformative. Through him, I met Doctor Petter Karlson, a quantum physicist whose team had come up with the prototype anti-gravity ship that turned mere dreams into an actual craft that could be piloted, perhaps raced, and well...... as you know, the rest is history. Most major automotive manufacturers now offer an anti-gravity model, and we have carbon-negative, as well as incredible efficient ships. It was too good an opportunity to pass up, and what started as a limited series came on to replace Formula One entirely with ships that go even faster, turn quicker. The FIA simply let FIAR take the reins, and whilst historic Formula racing exists, we're the top level now."

"Did you have any idea how big it would get?"

"Of course we did! Look, what makes this sport incredible is not only our incredible commitment to pushing the boundaries of what our AG technology, and engineers can do, but also, the pilots and their love for the sport. Whilst we could put AIs to the test, this way, pilots are being pushed to their limits, at speeds that even 20 years ago would be considered impossible. And who doesn't like a little competition when the ships can go hull to hull, like open wheelers can't?" Royston seemed to be confident, yet an underlaying poke back at older formulas there, with his showman-like bravado.

"What did you think about the sport being the most tuned into across 2093 across most major sports channels, and what do you think sets it apart?"

"Well, the commercial opportunities from the sport are now immense. I copied what Formula One had done in the mid-2010s, so perhaps I'm not that original. But I recognised just how good the sport could be when competitive, integrating fan involvement, and working on innovation rather than stifling it into an old boys club. Rather than an alternative to Formula One, I positioned this sport as an exciting, engaging discipline. Our introduction of on-boards for neural link users at home literally puts you in the point of view of pilots' ships, and well, the addition of ELS has made for closer and more competitive races. I know we had some tough periods at the start, but the technology came to us, and we're still playing with some really exciting developments that I think the public are going to love."

"Outside of Amy, who stood out to you as the one of the best pilots of the series so far?"

"Well, Audrick Mulder, he was an incredible pilot. A true prodigy, he....he was so, so on the edge and a showman, driving with this Senna-like tenacity, and in the wet, completely blind, he still lapped as if it wasn't there. Then Sami Lipponen, two-time champion, he was something else too. Ice cold, but like me, reliable. But, I have no true favourites really. I let the fans decide that one."

"And what would you say to those fans who say your changes have been controversial?"

"I'd say give it a chance. ELS wasn't liked at first, but this season it's made some of the best content. So our decision stands. FIAR is a democratically run organisation, but my oversight got us here, and believe me, we listen to what you ask for, but are willing to keep pushing the boundaries of what we can do with the sport."

---

Fanview

"Joao, up here! Found the seats!"

"Thanks!" Joao replied, passing across a reusable metal cup to his friend, filled to the brim with Sagres, like his own.

Looking on, the Portuguese fans headed up into the stand, possibly the most stereotypically named two, Jorge and Joao long time fans, and indulging their yearly pilgrimage to the Portuguese temple of speed.

Tickets for Formula AG were hard to come by, but being lucky enough to bag a couple even in this heat, well, it was a treat to say the least, and wearing Zygon merch head to toe, a new purchase given Valkyrie merch wasn't really relevant to them anymore. Lucky the takeback scheme had been happy to reproduce the polymer-based clothing into something else, with a small refund to boot. Whilst those in the paddock lived a life maybe akin to what the old school may have lived up there, given the wider socio-ecomomic contexts, Joao and Jorge representing the fans that followed the sport that went worldwide, but right now, was in their patch of land.

It was a treat, and whilst capitalism meant they could buy a ticket, the rules around payment were a little different for some in society. Universal Basics as a concept was implemented differently across different countries- but in effect, made normal work for about 60% of people a redundant concept, down from 40 hours a week to barely 20. Automation and AI had caused significant recessions in the 2040s, 2060s and 2070s to gut jobs and coupled to water shortages and extreme heat, had started to collapse many states across the world, and supply chains with it. And given such circumstances, governments shifted their model from tax, to benefit, larger companies footing the bill with progressive policy on AI and automation making sure the dividends were shared equally. Not since the early 20th Century had such dramatic upheaval taken place- with Georgist-style reforms on land tax and a UBI-adjacent concept, work had become a freedom of workers to choose, pick and delve into for benefit, not cost.

Whilst some jobs in the traditional sense of course, existed as they did just with reduced hours, the nature of it had evolved a little more. Lesser work hours and contractor-styled piecemeal work for most replaced a normal nine to five, giving people more time to commit to other projects. Of course, Lunar engineers and workers, as well as many of the engineers in Formula AG and associated medical staff didn't ever have that luxury, continuously being transported around the globe, the pay that came with it was significantly higher and rewarded them in other ways. Of course, people moaned in relative terms- but everyone was guaranteed a place to live, healthcare, water, energy and a basic standard of food and education, with a small supplement of money that came from the Basics Support that felt like a quasi-job programme, made up of piecemeal work that turned most into contractors specialised in transforming communities. It came in different packages, but this is what a utopia looked like when the previous conglomerates, so shaken by climate change and the protests that had followed, realised they'd need to give up a sliver of gold if they wanted to continue into the next century without anarchy ensuing.

Piecemeal work ranged from fixing AI models to technology transfer to less developed countries and states affected by climate change, coming in varying packages dependent on need. Graphic design, arts, and sectors that could be automated, but were better left in human hands still remained. You could watch an entirely AI driven film, for example, but still, the traditional remained, as it did with music and art- widened if anything, with local goods made from local supply chains that came with a community-led solarpunk utopia. Given basic needs were met, entertainment and leisure came out of that small budget, and the net benefits of a society that seemed to run out of problems here on Earth, and rather now focussed on the Solar System. Instead of being bored, more community-led initiatives had nicely filled the void left behind, Joao's old career as an Environmental Consultant replaced by piecemeal voluntary work and supporting high-tech permaculture that restored the arid badlands of the inland back to their former glory, led by communities that put people back in focus, rather than as an afterthought. Jorge's work as a doctor was more as an oversight to the machines that operated on people, and as such, gave him time to work on his real passion, grassroots junior racing, and part of the wider piecemeal programmes that he could find. Society's dividend from immense mineral wealth and automation had given humanity a respite from thousands of years of hard graft, labour and work, and given those who wanted the opportunity the chance to invest into other things, and many others to tune into Formula AG. It offered a bit of escape. Conflict in a world that offered non-stop drama, that simply made itself.

It was not perfect, of course- some wanted more and wanted to be greedier, and of course, the inequality at the top was vast- almost gulfing 70 years prior, but for most, the basics of life were provided for in everything from healthcare to education. A missing generation between the 2050s and 2070s, the near collapse of many nations and humanity teetering on the brink had perhaps made some wake up to the reality, and once technologies such as asteroid and lunar mining hit, alongside nuclear fusion, the cat was truly out of the bag. Companies like Zygon sometimes had more predatory piecemeal contracts and strings to Universal Basics, but by and large, the sheer shortage of workers, coupled to the relatively little work that was actually needed meant completing tasks, rather than a performative joke was the standard of work.

Untapped accelerationism felt like an AG ship roaring forwards, any any normal model of working in that society seemed misplaced- so perhaps, society had somehow veered into something else altogether. A little utopian, yet if you desired more, off-world work was where you could find it. That, or something that AI, robotics, automation or sustainability hadn't knocked out. The other 40% probably didn't enjoy fixed hours in work, but with virtually untapped flexibility, enhanced benefits and the ability to enjoy voluntary work of their own meant most were able to follow their passions. It was strange that for such a bleak past, people were generally optimistic, and community led.

The other bit of course, was sitting down in 30C heat was near unbearable. It felt strange how the Algarve was still the Algarve- the geoengineering efforts that resulted in the gentle drizzle earlier now fading from the more forceful cloud seeing methods to more broadly engineered carbon sequestering and cloud production from saltwater. Portugal and Spain had nearly collapsed in the wake of the 2060s water crisis, and whilst some of those younger may not have remembered those times, hellishly hot 45C summers were common, and countless people had died from heatstroke and the natural disasters that had flooded vast chunks of Florida, Bangladesh, parts of the Netherlands and western Africa, creating a demand for change.

Water had become a major topic of war in the 2050s and 2060s in particular, with the Arabic Union's wars in Egypt being particularly bloody over the Aswan supply, one that was the lifeblood of agriculture projects in the Lower Nile and deserts surrounding it. Migration, populist governments, rogue terror cells, society had gone through the wringer and many would have been right to say it could have escalated at any moment as the great former powers cowered under the pressure of it, and many were on the brink of completely falling apart. The innards of Australia, China, Russia and western Africa still were, in some ways, lawless and abandoned.

Yet desalination plants that were powered by cheap electricity, and that electricity then powering massive geoengineering schemes, coupled to most people having access to carbon-neutral or even carbon-negative produce, emissions were rapidly turning back down and even in spite of the artificiality of it, actually made sure humanity kept itself at bay. AG racing was no exception- the carbon-absorbing process of the concentrated biofuel coming from an energy crop that was basically on steroids. Massive companies were replaced by upstarts and governments wanting change, meaningfully delivered and most of all, wanting to survive again. So society rebuilt, either a little like in Auckland's case, or in Cape Town's, nearly entirely, as did much of the United States, Russia and China, which still had much to finish. The world had certainly tamed the beast of climate change....but that had meant compromises for most.

Actual steak or meat from cows was a luxury akin to buying a fancy Rolex, products were produced either become infinitely recyclable with relatively few plastic types, or be bought as one-off, highly expensive reusable items that were made to last, be sold, reused and mended over and over again, making fast fashion or fast consumption a thing of the past. You had your coffee cup in the same way you had a set of house keys, your refillable cup for beer, and clothing and electronics that could be mended freely, and so simple it could be fixed by an average ten year old. Soil erosion had been reversed through a mixture of lunar mining and deep-sea recovery, rewilding had helped halt ecosystem collapse, as well as high intensity vertical farms mixed in with permaculture and sustainable farming practices helping to mend the land, but meant that in some places, the landscape wasn't exactly left the way nature might have looked like 100 years ago. But for it, rewilding, and true restoration had taken place, driven by multi-billionaires buying land and returning it to free use, a remarkable turn of events given their wealth had come from extraordinary gains in the space and engineering industries. Growing up, a child would have access to more green space than in the last 100 years that was emerging in bloom,. Solar panel-like coating on every window and roof mixed in with cheap nuclear fusion and wind power, meant that electricity was cheap, so that meant industries requiring power to recycle, or simple operate the geoengineering schemes had no such issues, nor did anyone else in buying it. It meant a change in mentality and some hated of course, this idea of being told what to do- but in the end, it meant people weren't obsessed over new things, but bought what was needed and often recycled sustainably what they didn't.

A tangent? A little bit, but the two at the top were beneficiaries of this, and in the teeming crowd here to watch a race, got to enjoy their favourite sport, that frankly everyone in the Taverna or the croft or the virtual office or wherever they were talked about, on social media or in their own sims at home.

And as Joao and Jorge sat in the top of the stand, watching the ships get pushed onto the grid and their frames then removed, the Delta Hyper camera captured that look of awe on their faces, and of course, the chant that simply waved from the crowd.

"Neves, Neves, Neves!"

---

Hitting the Tarmac

Soundtrack: Digitalism- Blitz



Hard, deep inhales almost seemed to have an echoing effect when the neural link plugged in, taking Amy out of her calm, meditative state into the link that connected her ship and her consciousness into one, a feeling that felt like coming alive somehow. At least, she tried to make sure that routine came back. The smell still seemed to taste in her mouth, the gentle drizzle that had interrupted the morning now gone, with the wet track drying fast with the warm sunshine, not that it would matter much given the ships didn't really need the tarmac at all.

Four.

Three.

Two.

One.

GREEN.

The ship however, did not do what Amy expected. With a stall, the other six ships accelerated, and Amy was back on throttle again half a second later, as the connection faltered.

GREEN.

Other ships were dodging her stall on the grid before she was whisked to their speed as it reestablished, further back than she would have liked.
"What the fuck was that!" The unfiltered anger raged out, as she gripped her way through the first corner, barely dodging Kais and tightening the line, fixing things up and wanting answers.

"Software glitch, head down Amy, we'll talk after. You can get this back." Keira's voice was reassuring, firm, but Amy was not in the mood. And the part of her that turned inside out was pouring out.

"No talk. I'm taking those positions back."

And that was what Amy did. She blitzed Han into Lagos in the next lap, and then after that, her own team-mate, Jamie, who was actually trying to put the power onto Nora. Not that Amy was even remotely interested. She overtook them both through the last turn and first three turns respectively, almost as if the ship itself was powered by pure rage. Pure frustration. But Amy knew how to use that. Even when it seemed lost, she wasn't going to let up now. It wasn't clear how the glitch had happened, but with a neural link, the wrong receptor being sent maybe sent something off. Or something on the ship had malfunctioned. Or Amy's internals had themselves reacted wrong. She didn't know. She did not care. She was taking whoever was in front of her and the way she was going, you could frankly hear the boss music playing if she was chasing you down.

Next person up, as the ship bucked over the crest into Portimao, and the right hander that looked like it could send an AG ship into oblivion, if it wasn't for the brakes slowing the ships down with such an intensity that it physically looked to be vorticing air off them. Even if you hated her with a passion, there was something to be said that even with a ship that seemed to have had a thrust issue on start, and a few seconds dropped back on grid, she was an absolute warrior when it came to mentality. She was willing to put the ship in places others dare not try, and make sure that the absolute needle-like feel of the ship, a feeling only paralleled by Valkyrie in Portugal, was able to sow corner after corner as efficiently as possible.

She carved forwards in a recoup of some charge for her ELS that put her side by side with Paul, cursing as she watched him slip by after a long fight, Amy swiping across and denying that move with Nora trying to follow through with a level of aggression bordering on insulting. But you did not play fair with Amy. And she was going to keep her behind, stalling the ship through Torre VIP with the hard pull of an airbrake that she just imagined in her head and saw come to life, the white ship tailing right behind the gray and yellow of Paul, Amy going toe to toe. It would have been an unthinkable pressure for the young rookie, because Amy was giving it everything. Every corner, trying to dive, every straight, trying to unwind the ship's superior pace, but none of it was working on Paul. He was driving like a man possessed, but when the reflection of Amy was visible breathing down his neck in his rear-facing sight camera, in a metaphorical way, then Paul had every reason to either fight harder or go faster.

But if there was one person she was more angry about, it was Harrison. She could hear it from Keira over her comms about the distance, the only one Amy wanted to hear. Like it fuelled her. Maybe like Kais. Love was a powerful emotion, but hating the fact you weren't where you wanted to be was like petrol on a fire. And every time she just felt things slip, she found focus in that. This was not what she wanted. Not by any long shot. But she had a race to take back. And despite the bad start, the commentators had the same thought.

"Well, it has been an uncharacteristic start for Stirling! With all the talks of upgrades, the three-time champion's stall at the start seems to be claiming positions, and is putting Mulder under pressure after sweeping past Kelly, Hart and Zenix, she seems like she's channelling something else! I would not want her breathing down my neck right now, she's not looking to give up!" Rosie called out, the roaring whine of the metallic white ship despite the stall showing why the pilot behind the interface was so feared.

Amy's tongue curled against her cheek, in focus and absolutely locked in making Paul's life hell, keeping Nora back at the same time Her heart closed and opened on corners that almost seemed to amplify that want, that focus in the same way the ship did given the g-force being pulled, but Paul must have been doing something to not fall victim. He must have found his own Shangri-La, corner after corner coming.

"Unbelievable, Mulder is fighting for position hard with her, he must be feeling the heat! Whilst Valkyrie has just lost its iconic designer, Felix Burkhardt a week ago, to see Paul holding back such a fierce talent in this sport so calmly shows such maturity for the young racer." Rory replied, as Rosie piped up, watching the Portuguese home hero lead- after all of the changes at the start, Cassie had lucked out and pushed through, but was making that advantage pay.

"Yes yet would you look at Neves, we know her for her aggressive, attacking racing style, all on the line. She is putting on a show for sure it's like the crowd are carrying her ship faster!" Rosie commented back, the sight of other ships barrelling through the now old-school race-circuit putting on a show that displayed on a little more of a human scale how fast these ships were. Rather than the hyper-fast circuits that Formula AG normally travelled to, just how short the laps were coupled up to make laps fly past, and Cassie Neves actually on a second place position, by merit. The crowd and Joao and Jorge had a definite favourite.

"A national hero, and she's been underperforming at Zygon, but is this finally her time? We'll have to see, as Wedgewood makes a lovely move on Al-Nadir..."

---

Ava Villarosa

Pulling back in line with Bea, she followed her team-mate past Ulrich out of the last corner onto the hilly start-straight, the Carrera's superior speed here making up for the handling, and even Ulrich's ELS couldn't beat two ships onrushing past. And it was all going well coming into turn one, well, until.....a loud clatter could be heard behind Ava's ears.

"Ship's compromised! Lost power, going to have to stop!" Ava yelled out, the warning blaring in her mind, seeing just what had gone wrong. A nasty engine burnout had basically killed all power, and the system seemed to collapse rapidly, Ava very aware of what this meant for her race.

Rey's voice on the other end was a calming tone, looking on at the telemetry and well, knowing Ava's safety was critical. They could fix the ship later, but Ava wasn't expendable.

"Okay, steady now Ava, stop the craft and get out on the sand." Rey's response was not answered by Ava, who very quickly pulled that in, the mag-enabled gravel trap pinning the ship to a halt, and the AG-system below deactivating as she could see the fire engulf her rear camera.

As the ship crawled on the magnetic sands, Ava immediately unhooked from the ship and pulled the Carrera ship to a total stop, releasing her harness and popping the canopy, the smell of the engines roasting away as she clambered very fast off to the side, the ship buried in gravel and giving her the chance to get away. The ship's internal extinguisher had done most of the work to take out the flames, but given how volatile the biofuel was and energy dense, as well as the battery next to it, the ship was like a lithium battery being set afire, albeit even more quick to rise.

From the highs of Italy, to the lows of having her ship catch fire behind her, the drones and soon, marshalls coming over to extinguish the flames, and with that, marking the end of her race, as the prosthetic-legged Chilean clambered over the barrier, a deep sigh audible on comms.

Not the best day. And not a day Carrera were grabbing points on, it was a reminder things didn't always work out.

---

The resultant virtual safety period, and the restart hadn't changed much of the order- Max being the main disruptor after it came back, managing to make moves from 11th to 9th in a ship that was now being pushed to its limit, the American unlucky not to have overtaken Kais, given he was nipping away with his superior handling through the corners.

But as for the rest, it had turned processional. Not every race was a world-beater, not like Races 1 and 2, because Harrison had disappeared into the distance whilst Cassie had made a decent gap from Paul, caught up in alternating from defending like a lion to having to put down lap after lap to try and break Amy's flow. She was good, but in this moment, his relative calm prevailed. Behind that, Nora had kept Amy honest but didn't have enough to break their flow, whilst Jamie Hart, despite not messing up this time, really did not have the talent to just break through on his own and content higher up the grid. Han and Kais had been fighting all race, but in the end, the order stayed as it had begun- netting Zygon even more valuable points, given Al-Saqr's decisions with the neural links.

Max and Layla finished out the top ten, and the disappointment that was Dorian's race had finally come to an end- it turning out it was caused by a faulty airbrake system, reducing his braking capacity and making him a sitting duck towards the latter half of the race, the aim to at least get a handful of points reduced to finishing ahead of Beatrix, who had quietly overtaken Ulrich and held the lone position as the Carrera ship on circuit. He'd been more than a little pissed off, given the change in engineering management, no doubt the team that remained would have that to fix because it had cost Valkyrie points. He had done everything he could, but

And with it, the chequered flag had fallen.

docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1qF6cn…

---

Post Race, Portugal: Cooldown and Podium

"So, you think I made the wrong call again?" Cassie sassed back, Harrison shrugging, smirking, looking at the move Cassie made legit on Paul, whistling. The two of them certainly were a little more friendly than Amy and literally anyone else, but at this point, a newcomer to their little gang had joined, and was watching on at all of this. Wearing their respective team hats, Harrison a yellow variant on his team's navy blue and yellow, whilst Cassie wore a special edition red and green Zygon hat, for the team to tap into the European market a little

"Well, the amount the fans are screaming out there for you, I'd say you have a boost. Damn, I thought I heard them through my cockpit when you crossed the line!" Harrison chuckled, looking across to Paul, the new Mulder on the block showing an impressive performance today.

"Those moves on Amy were impressive, Paul. She wanted to really get past you, but you gave no quarter....damn, you are going to be sinking in the ice bath after this!" Harrison smirked, as Cassie shrugged, looking over, knowing that no doubt that level of work had probably exhausted Paul, but then again, who was he to know. Rehydration had come a long way, so he probably had enough in his tank for now.

"Not bad at all. Looks like we will be in for some competition later this season. But, welcome to the podium, Paul. Good to have you here. And I think it won't be the last time either. But, save some steps for me." Cassie smirked, giggling as Harrison nodded.

"Well, come on then. They'll be screaming your name. Fish and Chips after this?" Harrison led the way, the crowd noise picking up, as Cassie shook her head, the red-green haired pilot not really giving much quarter to that reply.

"Caraho, fish and chips....you have no culture." Cassie stung back, as the noise grew louder and louder, fans opposite the podium screaming once they saw Cassie. Trophies were picked awarded, with Paul's getting plenty of shouts given his status as the song of a legend too, followed by Cassie, and then Harrison, who held up the cork-embedded silverware in the sky, before the champagne was broken out by Cassie and blasted across his face, nearly taking his hat with it, and he responded with his own blast of champagne back to both of them.

It was good to be winning.

---

Pulling into the booth, it was back to post-race interviews once more, in the now sweltering afternoon heat of Portugal.

The cheers from the crowd came in for the Zygon team, given the Portuguese link that now connected Zygon, as Han came up, a solid race with more points for the team.
"Han, a solid race for Zygon, with good points positions, and your first podium of the year for Cassie. Do you think the move has finally worked out and she's settled in?"

"Nora, a good finish for Southern Cross, but do you think you could have done better here than in Italy? It seems like you were struggling to hold back Amy, did you feel she was quite intense on the circuit?" Aurora asked Nora, the Southern Cross pilot this time not on podium yet still keeping her end of the bargain up when it came to getting points. The rivalry would intensify between the two no doubt given it was both of them chasing Amy, and turning it into a three-way fight.

"Bea, not the best weekend for Carrera Condor, and the fire for Ava had us all worried. How do you feel about the risks in Formula AG- following your crash and this recent fire?" Aurora's question harkened back to Cape Town, the risks Bea took in rally significant yet still comparing a little differently to those in Formula AG- and likely seeing her team-mate pull in with an engine fire would raise some pulses.

"Paul, congratulations on your first podium! This is quite a momentous occasion- do you think this silences the rumours that you weren't ready for the step up into the sport?" The crowd cheered, and of course, a loaded question by Aurora was set up for him with an answer that she knew he would likely give, one that was likely to cement Paul rather nicely in that growing pool of rookies.

"Kais, a difficult weekend out there after two podiums in a row for yourself and the team, it looked like you and Layla are struggling with focus on the ship. What do you think happened out there?" Aurora asked, aware Kais probably wouldn't be able to divulge the complete truth, but the audience at home would likely be asking why Al-Saqr hadn't done as well as anticipated- particularly Layla, who was more fruitful on technical circuits like this finishing 10th. Behind the scenes, no doubt Al-Saqr were scratching their head why that neural mod hadn't quite worked the way they had, but the migraines had continued and that among poor luck had been a factor.

---

"Not our best today, outside of that start, and being caught in an ELS trap, the pace was good but simply not enough. We're looking into the fault but taking the best from it, we know the other upgrades are working nicely." Amy replied, curt in her reply, leaving after that, keeping it short.

Harrison beamed a smile.
"Hell yes, back on the top step! Well, yeah, it was great. We're opening our lead up against Silver Apex, we're showing our result. And while I've overtaken Nora by a point, we're working well as a team to get the job done and extend our lead in the constructors. Stock in us is off to the Moon...speaking of!" Harrison left on that note, cheers from the crowd responding as the naturally charismatic Aussie indulged them with a wave or two.

Dorian sighed, a grim look across his face, another bullshit weekend but still, a weekend that felt like he'd done all he could.
"Well, the right airbrake failed, and that was that. Every corner was a fight to get through, but we have to move on and find the fault." Dorian did not give off positive energy, but he didn't blame the team too harshly, just merely stating what his media-trained self knew had to be said. This wasn't the time for it. They could get points again, but he was somewhat glad deep down that Paul had gotten his.

Ava gave much a similar response, the usually stoic Chilean pilot not letting disappointment go.
"Engine fault meant a full burnout, and well, that was that. Not much I could do, but all safe and sound. We'll go again at Luna, and outside of that, we have lots to be optimistic for as we are on a positive trajectory."

The contrast to Astrid though, who gave even less of a fuck was clear.
"Well, that was a penalty I don't agree with, but it is over now. I did well all the way, but just couldn't keep the momentum going to get higher up the grid. But our pace is good, and it shows we can compete. On even terms."

Max was in another opposite, smiling as he came into camera, blue and orange hat on, a smirk on face.
"Another points paying finish, and it proves on race-day, we can really bring it up to standards. We don't go backwards often, well, not at least when we can't help it. Looking forward to the next."

And finally, Cassie, who like Nora in Auckland, got a deafening roar.
"Yes, it's amazing! P2 at home! I'm so, so happy, Obrigado Portugal, this is a dream come true!"

---

Paul had slept well. He was feeling rested and ready. He had gone over the telemetry from qualifying the day before. He reviewed his decisions and had gone over strategy with Carmella and Alexander the evening before. Alexander had been helping him with his skills against more experienced drivers. Paul had good instincts but knowing how to overtake and defend against that was something that experience could be helpful. Paul already felt more confident in his ELS skills. He had been working on them since Tokyo. He felt like his neural training was beginning to pay off as well. He was able to comprehend and use the flood of ship data more coherently. This gave him more options during the race.

Paul was a little worried that his progress in this area would slide. He had been working with Dr. Ainsworth’s the team's Cognitive Neural Specialist and the team’s Neural Interface Specialist, Christoph Ziegler. Ziegler left with Burkhardt. He had managed to continue the training with Dr. Ainsworth but he felt that having a specialist in the ship’s neural interface systems should be involved in the training as well. He knew Alexander was working on hiring engineers to replace the specialists they had lost and that he was moving as fast as he could but good engineers were hard to find. Paul chose to embrace the positives. He was feeling good and confident. He knew he was doing better. He called his mom and chatted with her this morning. She wished him luck and asked him to be careful as always. Paul smiled as he remembered the kart race. That had been fun and had taken him right back to his roots. It reminded him of why he had begun racing. He might be chasing his father’s ghost but he also loved the thrill of speed and adrenaline he got from racing.

He had spent some time in the fan zone yesterday after qualifying. It was always nice to feel like he was doing his part. His favorite interaction had been from a young boy. He couldn’t have been more than 8 years old. He had been so excited to meet Paul. He had brought Paul a hand drawn picture of his ship. Paul could tell that it was a special trip for the boy. The father had described their tickets as the nosebleed section but they were happy to be here in person. He had given the boy his own baseball cap after signing it. The father had been embarrassed when he admitted that he couldn’t afford any of the gear for his son. He had been hoping to get Paul’s autograph on the picture he had drawn. Paul asked if he could trade the picture for his hat. The young boy’s excitement and smile made that worth it. He had tacked the picture up in the pilot’s trailer. It would be a good reminder that while they might race for their own personal reasons, the fans made this possible.

Paul had been focusing on what he needed to do. Dorian was warm and cold to him. They got along just fine but Dorian seemed to be focused on his own stuff here lately. He knew he had been spending time with his boyfriend lately. The only time they really ran across each other these days was when their training times overlapped. Even then one of them was usually going while the other was coming. Paul had seen Dorian struggling and noticed that he was pulling back how much he interacted with him. Paul wanted to be a good mentor and decided to start with Scarlett. He spent some time with her after their interview. He answered questions for her and hung out with her in the fan zone. Paul had informed her it was never too soon to begin building her fanbase. They took pictures together with fans for a bit. He talked to her about their responsibilities to their sponsors. They talked about racing and techniques and some of the training that Alexander’s changes had prompted. He shared some of his results with her and encouraged her to try some of it. Paul felt he had started off good with trying to be a mentor to Scarlett. What surprised him was that he had enjoyed it so much.

---

Soundtrack: I Got You (I Feel Good) - James Brown

---

Paul was plugged in and strapped into the cockpit of his ship. He had just finished going through the pre-race checklist with Carmella. Paul glanced over the holographic dashboard display that was integrated with his helmet. His HUD set up as he preferred. The most important data from the ship on the dashboard. He could access all the data via his neural link but he had learned that being able to use all that data took some training. Paul’s neural reflexes were getting faster with the cognitive neural training that the team had devised. He flexed his hands and massaged his driving gloves along his fingers making sure they were flexible and comfortable. He gripped the control yoke of his ship as anticipation of the start came.

Carmella: “All systems check on our side.”

Paul: “All systems check green. I am ready.”

Carmella: “Race starts in t-2 minutes. Good luck Paul.”

Paul waited patiently as the countdown began.


Paul hit the throttle and his ship responded, leaping off the starting line. He was quickly in the thick of it as he shot past Amy and was just behind Harrison. Harrison’s ship was faster and he had opened that gap up further before the first turn made him hit his brakes. Paul shot forward trying to catch Harrison. He was making up time in the turns drawing closer to Harrison but then Harrison poured on the speed coming out of the Sagres and pulled away again. Paul was hammering the throttle as he came out of the Sagres when Cassie flew past him her Zygon ship faster than his on the straights. Paul gritted his teeth. He was determined that he would not lose any more places in this race. He gritted his teeth and took a deep breath. He charged after Cassie now.

Carmella: “Amy Stirling is 2 seconds behind you. She is looking to overtake. You are going to need to defend.”

Paul didn’t have time to roll his eyes at Carmella stating the bloody obvious. Paul fought hard to maintain his position even as he tried to close the gap between him and Cassie. He would close it and then she would gain it back on the straights. Amy kept biting at his heels. He defended against her feints in the corners as she tried to get around him. She tried to latch onto his ship with her ELS in the straight but he defended against it and shut her down.

Paul: “Stirling is stuck to my damn rear. I can’t seem to shake her. I hope she likes the view since I refuse to give up another damn inch!”

Lap after lap, Paul had to be careful not to give Amy any openings. She took advantage of any little mistake. Paul’s instincts served him well as he once again managed to shut Amy down as she tried to overtake him on the outside after a feint to the inside. He pulled away from her in the tight curves and would get a little breathing space and then she would gain it back on the next straight. Paul would get close to Cassie but then would have to devote his energy to defending against Amy. Then before Paul knew it the race was over as he passed the checkered flag waving.

Carmella: “Third Paul! Congrats on your first podium!”

The battle for this race had been intense. Paul was exhausted and sweating heavily. The race was physically taxing as it was hot here in Portugal. The heat the ship generated just added to that misery. Then on top of that it had been a mentally taxing race. Paul had to be on his game and remain vigilant to hold Amy at bay. She made him fight hard to keep third. He was so focused on their battle. He was not even sure what position he finished in until Carmella’s voice over the team’s radio had filled him in.

He slowed his ship and pulled it into the designated area. Paul smiled as he hit the radio back.

“Thanks Carmella. I couldn’t do it without the team. My thanks to everyone for all the hard work. This win is a testament to all your hard work and dedication.”

---

Paul disconnected his neural interface and his racing harness. He popped his cockpit and climbed out. He waved to the crowd before climbing down out of his ship. He followed directions to the cooldown room. He slugged some electrolyte drinks or water waiting there. His race suit was soaked in sweat. His sweaty hair was matted to his head. He used a bottle of water and emptied it over his head. The trick helped him cool down faster. He took an offered towel and quickly rung the excess water out of his hair and wiped off his face and neck. He then pulled on a Team Valkyrie hat. He smiled as Harrison and Cassie were chatting back and forth.

Harrison: "Those moves on Amy were impressive, Paul. She wanted to really get past you, but you gave no quarter....damn, you are going to be sinking in the ice bath after this!"

Paul laughed at Harrison. “Well I won’t deny that I want a cold shower. Thanks Harrison.”

Cassie: "Not bad at all. Looks like we will be in for some competition later this season. But, welcome to the podium, Paul. Good to have you here. And I think it won't be the last time either. But, save some steps for me."

Paul: “Thank you Cassie. Congrats to you both as well.” Paul wiggled his eyebrows with a mischievous grin. “Another podium without Amy as well!”

Paul followed the other two out to the award ceremony. He did his best to savor the moment. This was his first podium in Formula AG. He wanted to remember this moment and how he felt. If anything this has fueled his desire to reach the top. He was more driven than ever to train and push himself to his limits. He had also proved that even without all the extra augmentations and mods as some of the other pilots, he could still beat them. Amy had the better ship and was a champion and he had held her off and beat her. That could only boost his confidence that he could do this. He let the joy of the moment fill him. He let that feeling of satisfaction and reward for his hard work and dedication steel his determination to do it again and again. He wanted to be where Harrison was. He wanted the P1. Baby steps on the way to becoming Formula AG Champion. He hoped his father was looking down at him from heaven and was proud of him. He laughed as he sprayed Cassie and Harrison with his bottle of champagne. He took a drink before turning to spray the crowd as well. He wanted to share the celebration with all of the fans too.

---

Paul had managed to find time for a quick shower before the after race interviews. He was dressed in jeans, sneakers, and a Team Valkyrie racing shirt. He had on a Zap Sports Drink hat. He was getting better at the promotional sponsor stuff. Paul had taken a seat on the Delta Hyper couch. He relaxed back into the cushions with one leg propped on his knee and one arm along the back of the couch. Paul looked relaxed and at ease.

Aurora:"Paul, congratulations on your first podium! This is quite a momentous occasion- do you think this silences the rumours that you weren't ready for the step up into the sport?"

Paul smiled and waved as the crowd cheered as they heard his name. He waved to the fans who were cheering with a laugh. Their excitement and joy was infectious.

He tilted his head to one side as he contemplated Aurora’s question.

Paul: “Well Aurora, I used to think that as I worked my way up through the racing world. If I just win here, they will stop saying I bought my seat with who my father was. I have reached a point where I believe there will always be those negative naysayers who will try to bring me down.”

Paul shrugged nonchalantly.

“I don’t know that I will ever prove to those people that I have the skill, drive, and determination to win. I will simply say, I race for myself for my own reasons. People will believe what they want to believe. What I will say is look at my results.”

He gave Aurora a big smile.

“Today I won my first podium holding off a three time world champion. I didn’t do that with luck. It took skill and the backing of an amazing team! I couldn’t have done it without the support of all the hardworking people at Team Valkyrie. My thanks to the team for their support and hard work.”

---

Social Media

---

I wanted to give a shout out to Team Valkyrie’s Junior AG racing team who were in Portugal as well. Scarlett Collins you did well! Don’t forget to give them some love too! #JuniorAG #TeamValkyrie

---

OfficeDrone#12: Yes! That’s more like it!
SuperfanAGR54: Disappointed that Dorian didn’t do well due to a technical issue.
DantheMan: Now we need them both on the podium.
BatDave: I am Batman!
Superfan2075: Finally a podium. Now we need a P1!
DadBod89: Shame about Dorian’s ship. This would have been a good race for the team to pick up constructors points.
Hater101: Why is it one win and one flop?
Papabear34: #GoMulder
Nana2050: #ValkyrieFlies
GeorgeFly: Mulder did good.
ValkyrieFan56: Looking forward to more from Paul.
Weedhead81: I am going to smoke a bowl and ride out this feeling.
SexyM@m@5: @valkyriedorian Call me!
Paulmulder4eva: Didn’t Paul look great for his interview?
Britball12: Why can’t we get them both together? One fail and one win. What gives?
!YouSlow!: Yes we got a win but then Dorian’s ship had a technical fault that led to no points from him. The team has to do better than that.
xImFasterthanUx: Still questioning some of Knight’s choices. Is the technical fault due to Burkhardt leaving?
AGInthusiast: Is this technical fault with Dorian’s ship a forecast for the team since Burkhardt left?
micheal650004: Knight has already hired a new head engineer. Cavan Mitchell has not even started yet. Cut the man a break.
Bertha:Technical issues should not be happening. Poor management by Knight.

---

---

Soundtrack: Whatever It Takes - Imagine Dragons

---

Alexander had very little time to get a shit ton of work done. He was back in the office early Monday morning after the Portugal race. While he was off supervising the race team, Cavan Mitchell was in the process of packing up and moving his family to Germany after they settled on a contract to finish out the season with an option for renegotiating and extending the contract at the end of the season. The family would live in one of the furnished apartments at headquarters. This would speed up and reduce what they felt they needed to bring with them. There was still the business of changing schools for the children, packing what they needed to be comfortable here in Germany. The Mitchells were supposed to move in today. They were expected on a flight from England at 11:25 later this morning with a small cargo pod of belongings.

Mabel had once again proven why Alexander Knight trusted her and sung her praises. He walked in and discovered she had already taken the initiative to run background checks on the two engineers that Cavan had asked him to make offers to. He understood from Cavan that they had walked out when he did. They were free agents. He had legal looking over their contracts to make sure there were no legal loopholes that could bite them later if Fitzroy took exception to the hiring. Mabel had also compiled a list of potential engineers to replace the others that Valkyrie had lost when Felix had left. Finlay Wallace was a British Aerodynamics Engineer and Miss Olivia Chang was a British/Chinese Electrical Engineer. That left Alexander needing a new Neural Interface Systems Engineer. That would at least get his engineering compliment back to where it had been prior to Felix quitting. Leopold was still not sold on the three engineers that Alexander had brought for a test run. They were still debating how effective they would be. Alexander had to acknowledge that Cavan should be brought in on these decisions as well.

After reviewing the information and resumes of Olivia and Finlay Alexander had Mabel contact them to arrange for interviews later in the week. He looked over the dossiers and resumes Mabel had put together as potential replacements for the Neural Interface Engineer. Gaylord Chaveau was a French Engineer. He was older and had been working with Neural Interfaces for a long time for a French augmentations manufacturer that developed neural interfaces for public transit drivers and pilots. His work and experience was solid but nothing creative or extraordinary to bring attention to him. Cillian Kilpatrick was an Irish neural interface engineer that was currently working for the Irish government in neural interface regulation enforcement. He was their technical advisor. His job meant he was abreast of all current updated interface systems and illegal ones. That experience might come in handy and intrigued Alexander. The last person to make Mabel’s shortlist was a Polish woman Daria Krupnik. Daria worked for a Polish neural interface manufacturer for a company that designed medical equipment. Her field of expertise was interfaces that ran medical equipment like MRI scanners, automated surgical suites, and full body MRA scanners. It was a different area than was typical for hiring for a Formula AG team. He decided to wait and go over the potential hires with Cavan.

With the immediate staffing needs in a holding pattern, he turned his attention to getting his team to the moon for the Luna race. He called his contact at the ESU to ensure that training was scheduled for all personnel going to the moon race. He arranged for the team to get a week on the moon prior to the race. That would give his pilots time to adjust to the gravity and the engineers a chance to make adjustments for the harsh environment of the moon. The ship’s seals had to be double checked as they would need to hold atmosphere. There were logistics to consider as well. The team plane was set up to double as a space plane as well. The plane would have to be prepped with an external fuel tank to ensure they had enough fuel to get there and back. They needed to be sure the team had enough prepared meals ready to go for the time they would be gone. The prepared meals would be heat and serve or grab and go. They needed to remember the lack of gravity as well. Everyone had to take training on navigating in zero gravity, use of space suits, emergency protocols, and more.

Once Alexander ensured that preparations were on track for leaving for Luna in a few days, he turned his attention to sponsorships. Alexander was hopeful that he could still get new ships on track for the next season at the latest. He knew they would have to go back to design and start over. It would still require a huge influx of cash. More income kept the board happy as well. He reached out to Quantinium Computer Systems and invited the CEO and his assistant for a tour of the Valkyrie Headquarters so he could gauge the CEO’s interest in a partnership on new computer systems for their ships. Many racing teams tend to use the same computer system vendors because it is expensive to develop, making it cheaper to buy a system that is already built, working, and proven. Alexander couldn’t help thinking that might be a way for them to improve their ELS systems. Improved security was something high on Alexander’s mind. He wanted to prevent other teams from being able to exploit any weaknesses they discovered in a shared system.

---

Wulfric whistled as he reviewed the information he had been able to retrieve with Leopold’s help. The CEO was up to his ears in illegal stuff. Wulfric found emails between the CEO and Maier where he was knowledgeable and complicit about the abuses from the former Human Resources Manager and the embezzlement. It was no wonder that Maier felt he was untouchable. Wulfric had started an information systems audit with an outside specialist hired discreetly by Leopold outside of Valkyrie. Their consultant found a server on the premises tied into the corporate network but hidden with restricted access. After a hardwire work around, the information on the server was accessed. The hidden server was only accessible by the CEO and had a remote login that was untraceable. They thought it was only accessible to them and held all their activities. Wulfric had immediately copied the evidence. He set up a meeting with Alexander and Leopold.

---

Alexander had been surprised to get a meeting request from Wulfric. Alexander just knew, he had a feeling in his gut that it would not be good news. He tried to remain calm and cool as he made his way to Wulfric’s office. Alexander knocked on the door jam to Wulfric’s office as the door was open. Wulfric looked up and motioned Alexander inside as he finished what he was doing. Alexander took a seat across from Wulfric’s desk. He was just about to ask why he was there when Leopold strode into the room closing the door behind him looking grim. Leopold took the seat next to Alexander as he looked at Wulfric expectantly.

Alexander just slunk down in his seat. If he had known it was going to be one of those meetings, he would have brought the good Scotch with him. Wulfric looked up and eyed each one of the men before opening his bottom drawer and pulling out three crystal tumblers and a bottle of Glenlivet. He silently poured a generous amount in each glass before handing them each a glass. Alexander raised an eyebrow and took a healthy swig.

Alexander: “It’s going to be one of those conversations then. Okay hit me with it.”

Alexander braced. He didn’t think it could be much worse than losing Felix. Alexander was surprised when Leopold tossed back the entire glass before setting it back on the table.

Leopold nodded at Wulfric in encouragement. “How bad is it?”

Wulfric took a bracing drink before he began laying it out for the both of them.

“Well our investigation into the CEO has borne fruit. The specialist you helped me hire found a completely hidden server on the premises set up for use by the CEO with a remote login . The CEO was in cahoots with Maier. The CEO was the one giving orders to Maier in Human Resources. Maier was being paid very well to help him on his power trip. There are hints that the CEO was taking orders from someone else but the emails are carefully worded and from an anonymous account with a VPN and spoofed IP address. So there is no proof of ties to anyone from the board. They used the CEO and Maier as their cutouts to do their dirty work. There is proof of significant embezzlement from the team. Endorsements, sponsorship deals where the money was funneled into private accounts. The money that went astray is in the millions. The CEO was doctoring the books to show the money was being funneled into research and development that went nowhere or payroll for nonexistent employees. He was quite creative. This also implies that there was someone in the accounting department helping them. My guess is the CFO who quit shortly after Alexander came on board. He quit the same day Maier was fired. That was pretty convenient timing. They believed their server was secure and would never be found as it was onsite and looked just like part of Valkyrie’s server bank. Externally there was nothing to flag it as an issue for IT to look closer at. The embezzlement and abuse of the company has been going on for years. The CEO is getting nervous because Alexander fired Maier and ordered him investigated. He probably thinks it's only time before Alexander finds evidence on him. The CEO has been working against Alexander behind his back. There are emails from the CEO to the board members where he has been sharing only the negative news about Alexander and the team. He has been trying to convince the board to fire Alexander. He was using Felix Burkhart leaving as proof that Alexander is mismanaging the team. We got to this just in time. I have secured the evidence. How do you want to proceed?”

Wulfric took a slow savoring drink while he waited for the inevitable explosion.

The color drained from Alexander’s face. He tossed back the rest of his drink grateful for the burning that helped him take a deep breath. Alexander was not stupid. Wulfric had said millions. They had managed to siphon off millions and that was plural. People had killed each other for much less. Alexander felt like all his fears were proving true. This is why he had insisted on the contract he did.

Leopold had a pained expression on his face. “I knew it was going to be bad but I had no idea it went that far.”

Alexander: “Valkyrie is already being crucified in the press for all the “chaos” that has happened since I started. This could shake investor and sponsor confidence in the team. There are obviously ties to others that we cannot prove. That worries me. Who else is trying to bleed the team dry of resources and money?”

Leopold looked at Alexander. “I had heard about the CEO lobbying against you to some of the board members who are not your biggest fans. I thought it was just sour grapes. One of the other board members came to me with a rumor. They asked me if I was still supporting you given that you were responsible for Felix leaving. I gave them the truth of that situation. They told me that the CEO had approached them for support to force an emergency meeting of the board and a vote of no confidence in your management while you are away for the race at Luna. You will be out of the office for a prolonged stretch of time and unable to refute any charges he brings against you. I had planned to discuss this with you both but Wulfric had already called a meeting.”

The men all exchanged worried glances. The silence in the office was almost deafening in its intensity.

Alexander thought about all the employees who had suffered abuse at the hands of Zimmerman, the CEO, and Maier. He couldn’t keep this quiet even if it meant he was butchered in the press once more. This was not just about him. They already were short on time to get ready for Luna but he had to deal with this issue. The men deserved to serve time. He couldn’t afford a lengthy investigation into the racing team though. This was going to bring the government regulators down on the team. Alexander looked at Leopold who looked shocked and somewhat lost. Alexander stood up and began pacing.

Alexander: “Leopold I know this can hurt the team and I will take full responsibility for this decision. I can’t in good conscience let those men get away with this. We turn it all over to the authorities. We will release a press statement of facts about what was uncovered. We will tell the public the truth and it will cause waves. We do it with the message of justice for wronged employees. We want honesty and transparency with the public. The message for the government regulators is full cooperation and have done our due diligence as a company to rectify the situation as soon as it was discovered. Unfortunately I cannot be in two places at once. I will deal with the situation and get the ball rolling until I have to leave for training for Luna. Leopold I am going to have to ask you to deal with things here while I am on the moon. What are your thoughts?”

Wulfric tossed back the last of drink before his eyes trailed Alexander’s pacing form.

Wulfric: “The CEO has the means to flee. We need to take this directly to the authorities and have them in position to arrest him before he finds out we know.”

Leopold seemed to be recovering from his shock. He nodded. “I appreciate your willingness to accept the blame Alexander. This mess is not your making. Hopefully we can use that in your favor somehow with the press. I will deal with the board but we are not telling them until the authorities have the CEO in cuffs.I think we should play into the CEO’s hands. I will call an emergency board meeting. We will have the authorities onsite with an arrest warrant.”

Alexander nodded. “Agreed. Wulfric I will need a copy of the evidence. I will go to the authorities with it.”

Wulfric snorted. “Alexander, you are the last person who should take it. You are the one probably watched the closest. I will take it. The CEO is probably keeping tabs on you especially when you are here. He has access to the security systems. My office is the only place he doesn’t have access to.”

Alexander looked at Leopold. “Are you sure you can handle this while I am on the moon?”

Leopold nodded. “You need to go. Cavan is too new. He is still meshing with the team. They will need your leadership with a smaller staff available.”

Wulfric: “Well Alexander, life has not been dull since you started.”

Alexander gave Wulfric a sharp look before he grumbled. “I could do with a little less excitement. I feel like I am running from one disaster to the next since I started.”

Both men chuckled at how disgruntled and grumpy Alexander sounded.

---

10:00am

---

Wulfric had spent most of the evening with the local authorities reviewing what they knew and providing all the evidence. He walked the investigators through it and helped them set up the sting for the following day.

Leopold had called an emergency meeting of the Board for 10am the following morning. The reason he stated was to review recent events and Alexander’s performance. He hinted that there was new information for the board to consider. He said he would only reveal it at the meeting that it was too sensitive for an electronic meeting. Leopold had met with investigators after leaving headquarters later that evening. He too answered all their questions. Leopold explained that they believed Alexander was under surveillance or he would have joined them. That they didn't want to tip Brendel off that anything was wrong.

The following day arrived early. Alexander had only managed to get a little bit of sleep. He knew there would be hell to pay later because he didn’t share the information with Mabel. He was already planning his apology but he would never put her in harm's way. He didn’t trust the CEO Peter Brendel to behave any better than Zimmerman had when he had been confronted. Zimmerman had been violent and had to be subdued. He thought he was untouchable just like Brendel. He had no idea how the man would react when he was cornered. The investigators were sneaked into the building and into Wulfric’s office. Alexander had met them there and answered all their questions. It was decided that Alexander would not go to the meeting. He would watch from Wulfric’s office on the camera system in the conference room. Leopold would call the meeting to order. Wulfric would lead the investigators into the room once Leopold gave the signal that everyone was there. The trap had been baited and set for Brendel.

Leopold had taken a position at the head of the conference table facing the doorway. He would be able to see the door and everyone as they took their seats. Leopold had a cup of tea and was sipping it as board members began to file in. Many complained about the short notice, a few were gleeful and Leopold’s eyes hardened as he noted who they were. Most of them stopped to help themselves to coffee or tea. Leopold kept the serious neutral look on his face. He almost lost his cool when Peter Brendel strolled into the meeting looking eager and smug. Leopold waited as the last few board members were seated. He looked up at the camera and nodded which was the prearranged signal for Wulfric to escort the investigators in.

Leopold looked around the table and took a deep breath as he stalled for the amount of time it would take for the investigators and supporting officers to get into place. They were taking no chances that Brendel could get away or destroy evidence. Although Wulfric had already given that to investigators. They indicated that they would still investigate to ensure that they had all the evidence possible against Brendel. Leopold began the meeting his voice holding a serious tone.

Leopold: “Thank you all for coming on short notice. I have uncovered some particularly disturbing news that requires the board’s attention and action. It was not something I could share freely over email or phone.”

Brendel leaned forward and the look on his face was serious but there was a gleeful glint in his eye.

Brendel: “From your message, I assume you have more evidence of Alexander Knight’s appalling performance to share with the board. Really Leopold, I don’t understand why you continue to champion him. Why, we have had more emergency board meetings since he joined than in the six months prior to his hiring. I told you hiring Knight and giving him that level of control was a very bad idea. The man is clueless about business.”

Leopold looked around the table, his eyes flitting from face to face. Before Leopold could reply, Dietrich Steindl jumped in. “Knight has been out of control since he got here, making changes with no input from the board, firing long term employees without board consent, deciding what endorsements and sponsorships the team needs. He has taken all those decisions away from the board and what do we have to show for it?”

Matteo Aldenburg jumped on the bandwagon next. “Instead of the team receiving positive press, they are focused on Knight’s personal drama with his daughter. The negativity and conspiracy theorists had a field day with that one. We can’t forget losing Felix Burkhart, an amazing and respected engineer.”

Leopold didn’t bother to hide his frustration as he took control of the meeting back. He noted that Brendel was looking pleased with himself.

Leopold: “One of the reasons I called this meeting was so we could discuss these issues. There seems to be some misunderstanding regarding these events. I want to be sure that the board is making decisions with all the CORRECT information. We wouldn’t want to make hasty decisions based on false data.”

Nielsen jumped in this time. “Leopold, what are you implying?”

Brendel sneered and jumped to his feet. “Leopold, you seem to be Knight’s only fan on this board. How can you continue to cover for him? Are you embarrassed because Knight was your idea? Think about the good of the team! You have to see that Knight is dragging the team down? If you can’t see that, then maybe you should step down as the board president.”

Leopold understood then that Brendel had not just been setting Alexander up for a fall but himself along with him. He looked around the table. He just knew that Brendel had been feeding this line of bullshit to his fellow board members. He made Leopold sound like Alexander’s sycophant. Ferrari, Dupont, Olsson, and Virtanen were all looking confused and surprised. Alvarez and Jorgensen looked worried. Nielsen, Aldenburg, Saar, Stiendl, and Brendel looked angry and expectant. Before the board meeting could devolve any further there was a brief knock at the door as it was immediately opened. Wulfric held the door open as the two investigators and two uniformed law enforcement officers entered the room. Wulfric then shut the door behind him and locked it.

Brendel was instantly on his feet. His face red with rage as he turned on Wulfric with fists clenched at his sides. “You might be the Chief of Security but you have no right to interrupt a closed board meeting, Mr. Gunderson.”

Wulfric very calmly met Brendel’s angry glare. He turned his attention to the board. “My sincerest apologies for the interruption but these law enforcement officers have a warrant and legal right to enter. They are here investigating a matter that will be of interest to the board.” Wulfric motioned to the two investigators forward with a hand gesture. “Investigators if you please.”

The investigative lead officer was wearing a nice suit and had his badge of office on a lanyard around his neck. “My apologies for interrupting your meeting. This won’t take long. Please take your seats.”

One of the uniformed officers took up a post in front of the locked door. One took up a spot behind Brendel against the wall. The two investigators made their way to the front of the room where they stood on either side of Leopold. Leopold nodded to them and took his seat. He watched everyone’s faces as the investigator began.

“My name is officer Braeder. I am here to inform you that my office will be conducting a close audit of all Team Valkyrie AGR financial and employment records for the last 5 years. Mr. Peter Brendel you are under arrest for fraud, embezzlement, and harassment. You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law.”

Before he could get any further Brendel was on his feet yelling. “You can’t arrest me! I am the CEO. I have done nothing wrong. You have no proof!” Brendel looked angry but panic was setting in. “I don’t have to submit to this in my own office. I don’t have to listen to you. How can the board sit here and do nothing! Help me!” Leopold noted that he was looking at Nielsen, Aldenburg, Saar, and Steindl for help.

The officer sighed and motioned to the uniformed officer behind Brendel. “Subdue him and cuff him.” He pulled out a sheaf of documents and handed them over to Leopold. “Here is the search warrant for the premises, and a copy of the arrest warrant with the list of charges.” He turned back to the officer who had quite handily wrestled a fighting Brendel to the floor and was cuffing him with his knee in the middle of his back. He pulled the still ranting man to his feet. “Be sure to finish reading him his rights. Start over and get it on camera so he can’t claim he was not informed.”

The officer nodded and began to guide Brendel towards the door. His partner came and took Brendel’s other arm. “Keep it up Brendel and we will hobble you and carry you out of here.”

Wulfric helpfully unlocked the door and held it open for the officers. Brendel continued to claim his innocence. He was being frog marched out and began to put on an indignant air as if he had been wronged somehow.

The investigators looked over at the board members who watched as Brendel was led out of the room. “Our office expects Valkyrie to comply with the search warrant and grant us complete access to the information and areas requested.”

Leopold looked over the paperwork as a formality. He nodded to the investigator. “I will keep these for our legal team to review. In the meantime. Mr. Gunderson our Chief of Security will see to it that you have access to what you require. Valkyrie will comply and cooperate with your office investigator.” Leopold gave Wulfric a nod and indicated him with a pointed finger. The others didn’t need to know that they had already been introduced.

The investigative officer looked around the table at the board members. “This is an ongoing police investigation. You are not to discuss this case or the charges with anyone outside of this room. We will need some time to dig deeper into this matter but I am putting you all on notice that our office will be in touch to arrange interviews for each of you. We expect all of you to show up for your designated interview appointment. As of right now we are not investigating you but any dealings you had with Mr. Brendel. That may change depending on what we find during the course of this investigation. As I speak officers are already seizing records and documents from Mr. Brendel’s office. We need to get to work now. Mr. Koch has our contact information. I bid you good day.”

The two investigators left the room. Silence followed in their wake. Leopold looked around the table. He looked each of them in the eyes. All of them looked shocked and a few looked nervous as the investigator left.

Steindl was the first one to break the silence. His voice was condescending as he spat out. “What the hell just happened? I thought we were here to discuss firing Knight.”

Leopold coldly stared Steindl down. “Were you not paying attention? Brendel has been arrested for embezzlement. Not just a little but millions! Millions that were stolen from this company. Brendel was complicit in Maier’s abuse of his office. You have just been told that our corporation is being investigated for criminal activity by its CEO and all you can focus on is your desire to remove Knight?”

Leopold had to give it to Steindl, he had nerve. He met Leopold’s eyes with an angry glare and didn’t waver under his verbal backlash. Leopold sneered and crossed his arms. He was done playing nice. “Let’s talk about that then since you insist. Knight was not the reason Felix Burkhart left. By his own words, Burkhart left because of Brendel. Knight pivoted and managed to pull a minor miracle off when he managed to replace the head engineer with an experienced man in less than two weeks! The team had its first win at Portugal. The team finally made the podium this season. Progress has been made. You might not like his methods Stiendl but his results are there.”

Steindl continued to glare at Leopold. Leopold continued to meet his stare. “Well Steindl I will be sure to report back to Biomatter International that you were more concerned about your distaste of Knight’s management style than the fact that the CEO had embezzled millions from the company that they have a share in. That you didn’t care that the corporation was being investigated for violations in labor law by the same CEO. You can leave now since you would rather cast blame on an innocent man doing his job rather than do yours.”

Steindl glared at Leopold. “You have no right to remove me from this meeting.”

Leopold smiled wickedly and turned to Wulfric. “Mr. Gunderson please remove Mr. Steindl from the building. Please be sure to send a copy of this recording to his supervisor at Biomatter International. I am sure they will be very interested to see how he has handled their interests.”

Wulfric just grinned and nodded. “With pleasure Mr. Koch.” Wulfric walked over to Stiendl. “Are you coming willingly or the hard way?” Wulfric was quietly hoping he chose the hard way. Stiendl rose and left in angry strides but with more dignity than Brendel. Wulfric escorted him from the room, closing the door behind him once more.

Leopold glared at the rest of the board members. “Does anyone else want to complain or are we going to discuss how to handle this latest disaster?”

Leopold waited expecting more of the dissenters to complain. He was pleasantly surprised when they remained quiet. Leopold nodded to the board and took a deep breath to calm down.

Leopold: “Now. I believe our best course of action is to control the narrative. We should release this to the press ourselves in a statement. Our messaging should be that we are cooperating with authorities. We took action to correct the mistakes of Mr. Brendel as soon as they were discovered. We want to be transparent with the public. Our honesty in this matter should carry some weight with them. Hopefully that will carry weight with our sponsors and investors.”

The meeting went as expected after that. Everyone had their opinion about what course of action they should take and what the messaging should be. Leopold didn’t envy Katherine who would be the one to weather the worst of this storm. The media were going to be in a frenzy.

---

Media

---

Team Valkyrie AGR Sport is shocked and saddened to have to inform the public that Peter Brendel the CEO of Valkyrie AGR Sport has been arrested on embezzlement, fraud, and harassment charges. Valkyrie AGR Sport is cooperating fully with the investigation. Please watch the video by Crew Chief Alexander Knight for more details.

[A video of Alexander Knight speaking to the public about the arrest of the CEO and the subsequent investigation. Alexander appears tired on camera. He is sitting at the Valkyrie news desk. He is wearing a Team Valkyrie button up shirt. Alexander looks right into the camera. It feels as if he is talking directly to you on the other side of the screen. His voice is serious and has a sad tone. Dialogue below]

“Good Evening. It is my duty to inform you that the CEO of Valkyrie AGR Sport has been arrested for embezzlement, fraud, and harassment. Team Valkyrie AGR Sport takes our duty to uphold the public trust seriously. Team leadership moved quickly to support the investigation and rectify the gross misdeeds of the former CEO Peter Brendel. His actions were not sanctioned or condoned by the team’s Board of Directors. Brendel acted in conjunction with the former Chief Human Resource Officer Bernard Maier. It was while investigating Maier’s activity that it was discovered that the CEO had condoned his activity and was complicit in his illegal activities. Team Valkyrie is embarrassed and enraged by the actions of these former employees. Our employees are all important, deserving of respect, and a safe place to work. We value our team members and are striving to ensure something like this will never happen again at Valkyrie. We want to apologize to any employees past or present who were hurt by these individuals. While Valkyrie is embarrassed by the unsanctioned actions of these previous employees, we are sharing this information with the public because we believe you deserve honesty. How can you cheer for a team you can’t trust? We sincerely hope that our honesty and integrity in dealing with this matter will help to restore your trust and faith in our team. My sincerest apologies on behalf of the team."

---

OfficeDrone#12: Insiders at Valkyrie can confirm that investigators swarmed the corporate offices today.
SuperfanAGR54: I don’t know what to say to this.
DantheMan: WTF!?
BatDave: Justice is served.
Superfan2075: WOW! I didn’t see that coming.
DadBod89: No one saw that coming!
Hater101: Valkyrie can’t seem to get its act together. What is going on there?
Papabear34: #Speechless
Nana2050: Knight is apologizing but it was not his fault.
GeorgeFly: #RespectKnight
ValkyrieFan56: Knight has big cajones!
Weedhead81: Dude! I wouldn’t expect a Corpo to apologize.
SexyM@m@5: Was Dorian hurt by this Corpo?
Paulmulder4eva: Will Valkyrie still race at Luna?
Britball12: Corpos should stay out of Formula AG.
!YouSlow!: Shame on Valkyrie!
xImFasterthanUx: No wonder Valkyrie is struggling with a Gonk like that as CEO.
AGInthusiast: Man can we please get more than one positive week at Valkyrie without some negative drama happening?
micheal650004: You have to respect Knight for sharing what was happening. I like that he was honest about it.
Bertha:So it's not just poor management by Knight but all of Team Valkyrie’s leadership. #ValkyrieFails
Nobody404:I find it interesting that Alexander Knight is being blamed for all the things happening at Valkyrie AGR. CEO Peter Brendel has been in that position at Valkyrie for 5 years! Both Maier and Brendel were there long before Knight was hired. Maybe Knight is the reason this corruption is surfacing? Is Knight fighting the good fight?

---

11:00am

Soundtrack: Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood - The Animals

---

While Leopold had been running the board of directors meeting to lure Brendel out for authorities, Alexander had met with Katherine in Wulfric’s office. The only office in the building Alexander was absolutely sure was safe to have a secure meeting. Katherine had been shocked but she recovered quickly as Alexander explained what he wanted to do. Katherine was on board with the plan. It was her idea that Alexander should do a personal video explaining the events to the public. She wanted to frame it as a personal message from Alexander that was backed by the team. Alexander and Katherine watched the fallout of the meeting together in Wulfric’s office. Alexander felt that Katherine had to know everything so she could run damage control. Her job was the public relations and marketing for Team Valkyrie. There really was no positive spin in a situation like this. Brendel and Maier had both been part of the leadership team at Valkyrie which makes their crimes appear to be sanctioned by the team even through ignorance. It was not the kind of thing that made a corporation look good. Alexander was expecting there to be some fallout. He was hoping to minimize it. He knew part of that meant controlling as much of the narrative as possible. Katherine was surprised at Alexander’s willingness to put his face to the message. The events really had nothing to do with Alexander. He had merely been a catalyst that revealed what was happening behind closed doors. Alexander had spent a half hour coming up with the appropriate messaging and filming it in the Media Room. Katherine had then released it with a press release from Valkyrie even as government investigators and agents were crawling all over the building.

Alexander was very grateful that he had managed to finish getting the Mitchells settled in and squared away yesterday. Human Resources was in chaos at the moment. All the human resources staff had been isolated and were being questioned in a conference room on that floor. He hoped Valerie, the new head of the human resources department, was handling the situation well. He felt bad that he couldn’t warn her what was coming but they had to keep it to the need to know. Any hint of what was coming and they feared Brendel would have bolted. He had the connections to disappear. Alexander wanted to see Maier and Brendel charged and behind bars. They needed to suffer for what they had put others through. Alexander knew that this would bring a great deal of scrutiny and attention to the team by authorities. He hoped that after the team weathered this that the team would bounce back stronger. He had no doubt that they could and would weather this current crisis. The only thing he didn’t know was how long it would take and how bad the repercussions would be.

Alexander was beyond stressed and worried. He had wrapped up the immediate work with Katherine. He would need to meet with the rest of the leadership team but he would have to wait till they were done being questioned by investigators. Alexander’s biggest worry was how all this chaos was going to impact Cavan Mitchell. Katherine assured him that she had things well in hand for now. He took off for Engineering. He wanted to explain personally what was happening to Cavan. He hoped he took the explanation well.

---

Cavan had spent yesterday getting his family settled. He had spent hours at human resources filling out paperwork and doing his training on the company’s policies and procedures. Cavan was a little amused but respected the fact they provided training on how to avoid harassment, how to report it, and how to spot it. They had even quizzed him on the very lengthy employee handbook. He had felt like he was back in college. He almost asked the young woman processing his hire paperwork if he got graded on the quiz. He didn’t think she would find it amusing. He had been shown his office. He had unpacked some things he brought with him. He preferred his own set of tools. He had a collection of trade manuals and books that he referenced from time to time. A few awards for his glory wall. A few pictures of him with pilots in front of ships. The photos showcased his career so far. In the middle of it all was a large picture of his family. They reminded him why he was here.

They had moved in what they needed to be comfortable here in between trips to Sheffield. They hadn’t brought much for them since the apartment came fully equipped. They had needed essentials and had brought some comforts of home with them. Pictures of their family and friends. Some decor to make the place their own. Some toys and entertainment for the children. His wife had brought her photography equipment. She was going to start exploring her passion once more. Cavan knew he would miss England but his family seemed excited about the change and supportive. He knew it would be an adjustment but he had a good feeling about it. Cavan and his wife had enrolled the children in school on Monday.

Once they had gotten that chore out of the way they had all gone to the store to get some essentials. The team had let them use one of the company vehicles. That had been an adventure all by itself. The school was close enough that the children could walk. Mary had walked them to school this morning to help them acclimate and be sure they made it to class alright. The children had gone off to school excited to make new friends. Mary had gone off exploring with her camera. Cavan had spent most of his morning familiarizing himself with his new office. He had been wandering from team member to member introducing himself and finding out what they were working on. He was eager to jump in but Knight was supposed to be here sometime this morning to introduce him to the team and let him know what needed to be done. Cavan had a good idea what needed to be done but he was not familiar with Valkyrie’s ships which meant he could oversee but would have a ton of questions for the engineers and mechanics currently doing the work.

Cavan was getting anxious when a tired and harried looking Alexander Knight finally appeared in Engineering bay. Cavan smiled and went to greet him.

Cavan smiled and shook Alexander's hand warmly as he titled his head and chastised him lightly. “Well look what the cat dragged in! I was beginning to wonder if you had forgotten about me.”

Alexander winced and a pained look crossed his face. Knight motioned towards Cavan’s office. “I need to speak with you first in your office. I have some news I need to share with you.”

Cavan frowned since he didn’t miss the worried look in Alexander’s eyes. He nodded and led the way into his office. Cavan didn’t miss it when Alexander closed his office door behind him. He took a seat on the edge of his desk and crossed his arms and waited for the other shoe to drop. He could tell something serious was going down.

Alexander sighed and collapsed into the chair in front of Cavan’s desk. He ran his hands absentmindedly through his hair. Alexander straightened his shoulders and took a deep breath and began to explain today’s event. He knew Cavan would need some context since he had not been here for Alexander’s first day in office.

Alexander looked up and met Cavan’s eyes and just began to share the truth as he knew it with a man who had just uprooted his family to come bail the team out. He had no clue how Cavan would take it. Especially after how he was treated at Fitzroy. Alexander’s voice held frustration, anger, and worry as he told the sordid tale of the corruption he had found living at the heart of the team.

Alexander: “Cavan I am going to back up and give you some context. I want us to be able to trust one another. I am going to share some very sensitive information with you. Then we are going to have to go out there and share what’s going on with the rest of your team. The timing for all of this is absolutely horrible but then they say bad news heeds the devil’s timeline and the devil is singing and dancing all over this team. When I was hired, I insisted on a contract that gave him full control over the racing team’s decisions. To be frank after my experiences when I left racing, I didn’t have much trust in corporate leadership. I had worked with the board president before Leopold Koch. I was given an opportunity to be crew chief and asked to do it by Alicia Mulder. I was good friends with her husband and Paul’s father. She was worried that Paul would be sucked in and mistreated by uncaring leadership. She didn’t want them forcing experimental modifications on him. She understands racing is dangerous but its those hidden dangers she was worried about. I swore when I left I would never come back and she knew that. She offered me the only thing that could entice me to come back. My daughter Arianna had been in a nasty car accident. She is now a quadriplegic. The only way for her to have any chance of a decent life was heavy augmentation. Alicia offered to get her the best mods available and get her into the trial if I did this for her. I said yes. I know you understand the importance of family. I had to do it. She is my only child.”

Alexander had relaxed into his story now. He took a deep breath and continued. “My first full day in the office was, well let’s call it eventful. Meetings with the medical team uncovered long term system abuse by the head of the medical team. I had to subdue him with an arm bar and have him escorted from the building. My female mechanics informed me that they were being harassed by other male members of the team. Engineering was doing alright. Felix just needed better support. One of the board members made a sexist remark about my bringing my executive assistant with me at a working team lunch. My first day in office and I almost decked a board member who was replaced the next day. Later that day I discovered that there were significant abuses of power happening by the head of human resources, Bernard Maier. We fired him and his primary accomplice and began investigating his activities. That led myself, Leopold Koch, the board president, and Wulfric Gunderson, our Chief of Security, to discover ties between Maier and the CEO Peter Brendel. Then out of the blue I heard a rumor that Felix had been offered a contract with another team and that he was going to leave us after Luna. I confronted Felix because he is a good man and a great engineer. I didn’t want to lose him. I point blank asked him why he was leaving. He indicated it had to do with how he was treated by the CEO. Our investigation into Maier was being stonewalled by the CEO’s office. After discussing what was happening, Leopold authorized Wulfric to investigate the CEO. We found hard evidence of embezzlement, fraud, and harassment going back years. He and his accomplices had managed to steal millions from the team. I found this out yesterday. I made the decision to take that information to the authorities and work with them to arrest Brendel. Brendel has the means to flee and escape punishment. I owe to all the people they screwed over and abused through the years to seek justice for them. I know the team is going to be brutalized in the media. They love anything that includes me and drama. I am a damn magnet for that shit. Brendel was lured to the office today with the promise of an emergency board meeting. He thought they were going to discuss firing me but it was a trap so that authorities could arrest him. He has been arrested. As we speak, the board of directors is discussing how we are going to handle this. Katherine already has our press release ready to go out. I shot a video asking for patience and understanding as I explain what’s happening. Valkyrie will cooperate fully with the authorities. We are issuing an official apology for the unsanctioned actions of these men and making that public. I just feel like all this…”

He struggled to come up with the words. “I want to build a solid team that cares for each other and helps each other out. I can’t do that if the people in leadership positions are abusive and dismissive of employees that they feel are beneath them. I can’t build a solid foundation for this team over a rotten foundation. I had to get this out in the open. Those people trusted that their leadership had their welfare in mind. They didn’t and it was wrong. I believe you share my vision for what this team should be and where it needs to go. I believe you are the right man for the head engineering position here at Valkyrie. I am beyond grateful to have you here. But I wanted you to hear about the current shit storm coming down on our heads from me. I hope you still want to be here now that you know what’s been going on behind the scenes. I am hopeful this will be the last bit of drama for a while.”

Cavan had sat there listening. He went through a whole gamut of emotions. He followed along and felt sucker punched to learn about all that had been hidden behind the scenes at the team. Cavan had talked to the engineers and mechanics and other workers. Most of them had a good impression of Alexander. He had not walked into this blindly. He couldn’t deny on a professional and personal level that he wanted to be here. He had missed it and this is where he belongs. He was born to lead a team of engineers on a racing team. He had missed the challenge of always seeking to make it better. Cavan began to pace as he listened to Alexander’s story. How dare he wait till now to let him know that there was a shit storm brewing behind the scene? He waited till he had moved his family! That made Cavan angry. He waited till Alexander was through and then walked up and punched him in the gut putting his whole body behind it.

Alexander grunted and the force of the blow knocked the chair backwards with him in it. Cavan stood over him with his hands on his hips and looked down at him.

Cavan: “YOU Bloody arsehole! You waited till I was in and had uprooted my family to share this with me! You want me to trust ya? After that!”

Alexander had the wind knocked out of him. Cavan looked like an avenging Brit with his hat all askew from his frantic habit of playing with his cap to bleed off energy. His cheeks were ruddy from anger and his eyes glinted dangerously. Alexander couldn’t help but laugh even though that hurt at the moment.

Alexander: “I just found out about the CEO yesterday. I couldn’t share it before he was arrested. It was the right thing to do Cavan. What I have seen so far inside this corporation was that no one was really protecting the everyday workers here like they should. I have been working hard to change that culture and get rid of the worst offenders. I had no idea the CEO was one of the worst.”

Cavan began to laugh as Alexander looked ridiculous on his back in the toppled chair. He bent down and gave Alexander a hand up.

Cavan: “I am still mad at you for keeping this from me. If you want me to trust you, it goes both ways Alexander. Don’t keep anything that can impact the team like this from me again.”

He frowned at Alexander and gave him a nasty side look before smiling again.

Cavan: “I respect you for doing the right thing even when it is hard. I respect you even more for standing up for the workers that others overlooked. That is one of the things that pissed me off at Fitzroy. It has been my experience that if you take care of your team, they take care of you. Corpos and teams like Fitzory are failing because of that. For that reason, I will stay. I will work with ye. Don’t hide things from me again though. I won’t go through this again. I don’t have the patience for it.”

Alexander offered his hand to Cavan again.

Alexander: “I can handle that. Maybe next time you want to hit me, we can take it to the gym. We don’t want the team to think you are killing me here.”

Cavan threw back his head and laughed. He clapped Alexander on the shoulder before shaking his hand.

Cavan: “I guess we need to talk to the team. How bad is it?”

Alexander winced.

Alexander: “Well currently there are government investigators all over the building pulling staff into interviews and seizing documents and evidence for their case against Brendel and Maier.”

---

Alexander and Cavan had left his office and made their way deeper into the Engineering Bay.

Alexander gave a shrill whistle and called out. “Can I have everyone’s attention please? Gather around. I know you are busy but this is important.”

Alexander waited as people made their way over. The background noise faded abruptly as tools, machinery, and chatter ceased. Obviously the rumor mill had beat him. There were a lot of fearful and anxious faces watching him. Alexander sighed and straightened up trying to project confidence as he filled the team in on what was going on.

Alexander nodded to the team in greeting as he started.

Alexander: “Good morning everyone. I will try to keep this as brief as possible. I know there are a lot of preparations happening to get ready for Luna. Especially as we are leaving early for training and to get a week to get acclimated to the gravity and climate there. I will start with the bad news. I can see the rumor mill beat me here.”

He paused and took a read on his audience. Yep word that something was happening had reached engineering.

Alexander continued: “This morning Team Valkyrie CEO Peter Brendel was arrested for embezzlement, fraud, and harassment. The building is currently crawling with government agents and investigators. Some of them may ask to speak with you regarding your employment here. Tell them what they want to know. Tell the truth. I have seen the evidence. Brendel and Maier will be convicted. I know this will put the team in the crosshairs for government regulators and a media shitstorm. But this was the right thing to do. Everyone that Brendel and Maier hurt at this company deserve justice. We can’t get justice for the injured parties by hiding the malicious acts of these two men. The Team will be releasing a statement to the public with an apology for the conduct of these two men. Again it is the right thing to do. If we want the public to trust us, we have to be honest with them. We can’t hide this kind of shit. It always makes the way out into the light. So we will shine a light on this and expose it for what it is. We will own up that there was a failure in leadership with this team. Then we are going to work hard to figure out ways to ensure this kind of bullshit doesn’t happen again. Things will be chaotic for a bit. I am hopeful we will finally get some drama free time after this. I think I deserve a break, don’t you?”

Alexander gave them a wry smile as they all laughed along with him. He could see the tension lessen and the worry reduce a little. It was still there but at least the fear was gone. Alexander gave them a few moments to absorb that bombshell. He gave them all a big smile before he gave them the good news.

Alexander: “There is some good news! I want to introduce you all to our new Chief Engineer, Cavan Mitchell. Cavan got his start in Formula AG at Silver Apex. He then was the head engineer at Fitzroy. He left Fitzroy because they didn’t treat their engineers and mechanics well. I promised him we would do better. And we will! So the good news is that I found an experienced engineer to replace Felix. Cavan is not Felix. I am sure there will be changes. Cavan is more of a leader and all hands on deck kind of guy. I like that about him. You will probably be asked to contribute more of your own ideas. Cavan I am sure has some tricks to teach you all. And there is even more good news!” Alexander waited as they all laughed once more. “He is bringing two of his engineers with him that Fitzroy let go. They will be joining us in a few weeks if all goes well.”

This time Alexander laughed as there were cheers throughout the bay. Alexander smiled and looked around for Helga. He spotted her and motioned her forward. “Okay folks thank you for all your hard work. That’s all the news I have for now. Cavan will be around to chat with you all in a bit. Helga, can you join us!”

Cavan had stood by Alexander’s side and listened as he made his announcements to the team. He stood with a neutral expression while Alexander explained about the CEO’s arrest. He smiled and waved as he was introduced. He was gratified to see curious looks and a few excited ones. A beautiful petite blonde woman in a Team Valkyrie coverall walked towards them. She smiled at Knight and gave him a respectful nod.

Alexander returned it and smiled at the woman. “Helga meet Cavan. Cavan this is Helga Stumpf our lead mechanic. While you are in charge of the engineering team, Helga leads the mechanics. So you actually lead this section together. She oversees the mechanics allowing you to focus on the engineers. Both teams work in the same bay because it just makes sense logistically. When I got here they had separate working areas and it was causing confusion, communication breakdowns, and inventory issues. So I will leave you to get to know one another. I know there is a great deal to get done in a short period of time as we prepare the ship for lunar gravity and dust. You will need to discuss which team members will pull the short straws to get the extended stay on the moon. Remember whoever goes has to attend the mandatory training by the ESU. We will be on the moon for a week before the race. Cavan I am not going to ask you to go. I plan to go and will be the onsite engineer in case we need anything. Helga figure out which mechanics you want to send. Let me know so I can get them details on traveling and make sure they have the appropriate gear. Any questions?”

Cavan felt like he had been run over by a tornado. He just laughed and offered a handshake to Helga. “Helga, it is a pleasure to meet you. I see we already have a lot to do. Would you mind taking me around and sharing what everyone is working on and introducing me?”

Helga just laughed and shook her head at Knight. As always he was moving at light speed around them as they struggled to keep up. “Thanks Alexander. I will take care of Cavan.”

Alexander smiled and nodded. “I know you will. Cavan fair warning she has a mean right hook and knows how to use those wrenches!”

Cavan blinked at that and looked confused for a moment. “Alexander I know better than to question if a mechanic knows how to use their tools. Get out of here before you cause any more trouble today!”

Alexander left laughing with a wave over his shoulder. Well at least the engineers and mechanics seemed to take the news alright. He wasn’t ready to hear how the rest of the company was doing. As he left he heard Helga telling Cavan about the bar that had created a drink in their honor. Alexander just laughed and wondered if he should give the Drunken Dragon a heads up.

---

While Alexander was working hard to improve team morale and help them comply with the government regulators and investigators pouring through the building, Leopold had been waging war with the board of directors. He had managed to convince them that Alexander’s plan was appropriate as it was the law and the right thing to do. The company would need to identify individuals that had been injured parties and offer an apology and some kind of compensation. Leopold had already added to the heavy lift their legal team was going through at the moment. Leopold also shot Johanna Lipusv a copy of the charges and search warrant. A brief summary of findings and the plan of action for moving forward. He also included the raw uncut footage of the board of directors meeting for her to review. He asked for any help she might be as the team is getting ready to leave for the moon. He also noted her colleagues' behavior in the meeting for her to review. He added that he wanted to be transparent about the challenges the team was facing and what they were doing about it.

---

Media

---

Controversy seems to be following Alexander Knight and Team Valkyrie AGR Sport. The announcement by the team of the arrest of the CEO has rocked the Formula AG Racing world. Many are calling for more transparency from the team and for the racing commision to take a closer look at the team. Others are applauding the team’s honesty in their statement and claim it points to good integrity. Victory Laps requested a comment from the racing commision about whether they planned to impose any sanctions or investigate the matter at Team Valkyrie. The racing commision declined to comment at this time. Public response to the announcement has been just as mixed and volatile.

---

OfficeDrone#12: It was a chaotic day at Valkyrie.
SuperfanAGR54: I like that Knight was open about what was happening inside the team.
DantheMan: The breakdown in leadership seems like it has been building for a while.
BatDave: Justice for Valkyrie Workers.
Superfan2075: If the CEO was doing that, what else has been going on behind the scenes at Valkyrie?
DadBod89: #JusticeforWorkers
Hater101: The racing commission should at least investigate to ensure that no regulations for racing were violated.
Papabear34: #Speechless
Nana2050: #RespectforKnight
GeorgeFly: #RespectforKnight
ValkyrieFan56: I feel duped. My favorite team had this going on behind the scenes?
Weedhead81: Relax people! Smoke a bowl!
SexyM@m@5: No response from Dorian
Paulmulder4eva: No response from Paul either
Britball12: Corpo Management Sucks!
!YouSlow!: Disgusted with Valkyrie’s leadership.
xImFasterthanUx: #RespectforKnight
AGInthusiast: I just want to hear about the racing. I don’t care about this political BS.
micheal650004: #RespectforKnight
Bertha: #ValkyrieFails
Nobody404:Valkyrie’s troubles started before Knight got there. It is because of Knight that these abuses are coming to light. Please note the person under arrest is the CEO not Knight. Obviously the CEO is the guilty party.

---

Thu 22/04 11:37 PAUL MULDER [Batt: 98%]

> Just read about your head engineer, everything OK “at home”?

> It was certainly a surprise but Knight has the situation under control. Were you worried about me Bea?
> I was worried you and Dorian will lose pace, stop wasting Zygon’s time and Ava and I will have to start trying. 😛

---

The Condors had a mid start, not particularly bothered by Kofi behind but not making any ground ahead either. Poor Bjorn started falling back not long after that, the double overtake making it look like the wiphala ships avoided rather than overtook the struggling Swede.

Ulrich was where the show would be for the Condors’ fans. A near constant, multiple laps spanning rock-paper-scissors esque clash of Ulrich’s ELS sorcery and defense, Bea’s unpredictable feints and lunges and Ava’s surgical precision and race management. The German withstood corner after corner of the Brit’s harassment, constantly changing when and how she attacked to keep him guessing, but every time he had a break and would have normally boosted away, he had to instead defend from Ava on the other side as the Condors passed him between each other like a hot potato.

”We’d like to swap positions with Ava before the main straight.” Al came over the radio with an instruction no driver wanted to hear.
”I can take him, I have him figured out now.” She protested.
”Swap. Positions. Please.” The race engineer reiterated.
’Horsecrap!’ She thought.
”Understood.” She answered, pulling off the line on the straight between turns four and five. Ulrich lasted to about halfway down the main straight, having expended a lot of charge fending the Condors off in the preceding few laps, meanwhile Ava kept a reserve due to having her teammate to lean on and forced her way by, keeping the German off the racing line into turn one which allowed Bea to get by with minimal effort.

It didn’t last very long. Exactly one lap to be precise. ”Smoke from Ava’s ship!” Bea called out, pulling off the line to get a clear line of sight, quickly followed by the ships behind her as she watched Ava pull off into the gravel trap.
”We think it’ll be a VSS.”
”Is Ava out?”
”Yes, got out. And that’s the safety ship, so set up for the restart. Falkner behind, then Mensah.”
”Slow and slower, should be easy.” Bea verbally shrugged in reference to the MMR and SuperCat ships performance, helped further by the Ghanian jumping the German on restart.

It wasn’t long before Dorian likewise had a mechanical failure, yet despite that and knowing exactly when she was making up time, the shortened prep time once again showed and the veteran Frenchman stayed well ahead of any danger. In hindsight, maybe Dorian could have stood to lose a bit more pace that weekend. One day she’d learn to shut her mouth. Probably when she’s old and boring.

---

DELTΔ HYPER

Episode 5: Trading Paint

---

"Bea, not the best weekend for Carrera Condor, and the fire for Ava had us all worried. How do you feel about the risks in Formula AG- following your crash and this recent fire?"

”If anything, Cape Town showed just how safe motorsports have gotten. Of course you’re worried when your teammate’s ship bursts into flames in front of you, but let’s not forget what Ava did before racing. She’s been through worse, rock solid that one.
It’s also important to note that this isn’t something we have to do. It’s one thing if a mine or a cargo ship is unsafe. That is necessary to civilization, people have to do that and thus safety should be paramount there. No one has to do this. We’re all very dedicated hobbyists, we all know what we’re getting into, and nobody is making us be here. Here, you need to strike a balance between safety and entertainment, and I think that of the things people can complain about when it comes to FIAR or the racing series itself, this isn’t one of them.
Becasue be honest with me: If it was completely free of danger, would it still be as exciting?” Bea finished by asking Aurora before turning to the nearby grandstand and drawing on her dad’s love of movies. ”Are you not entertained?”

”As for our race, we knew it would be bad, but this came out of left field.“ She returned back to Aurora when the cheering died off - Cassie’s fans providing a lot of it - to address the first part of the question, ”It’s a shame, I think together we could’ve taken Dorian as well even if he hadn’t had his own problems.” It would still have been pointless, but ego was a concern with racing drivers.

---

”Don’t take this the wrong way,” Bea set down a cup of tea beside Ava as she joined her on the terrace overlooking the back of the paddock where the team was finishing up loading the trucks with a mischievous smirk, ”But I expected a calmer reaction from a test pilot.”
”An ejection system would have made that situation calmer.” Ava offered half-hearted defense as she accepted the steaming gift, ”Better now than next race.”
”True. Heard something about injectors?”
”You heard correct. Started pissing fuel into the engine uncontrollably, and beyond the combustion chambers. Total loss.” The Chilean pilot explained, ”Good damage control today.”
”Not good enough. Couldn’t even get past a crippled ship.”
”Driven by someone with over a decade of experience. Our partners and fans could do a lot worse than us.”
”True. They could’ve been with Fitzroy.”
”Fitzroy Orbital has fans?” Ava asked after in jest a pause.
”They do. I saw them myself after Italy. All six of them.” Bea joined in on the joke, ”On second thought, they were probably just some of Jen’s fans.”
Neither of the chuckling women noticed the Delta Hyper crew member sitting a few tables away having surreptitiously turned the camera drone on while leaving it laying on the table.

---

”Looks like you managed well in my absence. Portugal did not turn out great, but we soldier on. Ava, the engineers have already assessed the damage, we’ll have your ship back in order in time. The non-engine damage was less than initially expected. He began before turning to Bea, ”Having returned to talks with Sarif Industries, Mr. Sarif made a note of the liquid immersion system used by the number 18 crew and suggested one of their products for our use. I believe you plan on synthetic lung replacement?”
”I don’t think that’s necessary now.” Bea shook her head, ”My main reason is an issue of comfort and convenience. If the option for on-track gains is there now, it will be there later. But we sacrificed the last race for Luna, I think we should keep the momentum going. If the heart replacement surgery is anything to go by, there will also be a recovery time which is why I’m holding off on it until the summer break.” Not that she didn’t want it yesterday, but even scatter-brained people knew distractions were bad.
”Very well.” León nodded, ”Ronaldo?”
”Preparations are on schedule. Now it’s a matter of setup priority.” The engineer answered, ”Simulations show a balanced approach to not be worth the effort, which leaves us two choices.
Option one: Focus ELS for an aggressive strategy. The pack is level on this, but we are up there. This will favor Ava slightly given her familiarity with the system.
Option two: Speed and handling. It would allow us to even out the deficit, given the ship performs well in these areas now, and plays better into Beatrix’ racing style.”
”Aggressive sounds good. Plus projections place ELS as critical, not to mention Ava has raced there already, I haven’t. This will likely be her show and there’s bigger point gaps in higher places.”
”I was going to say the same, but I’m glad you said it first.”
”I agree. Everyone pulling in the same direction, you make my job so easy.” León shared a joke, generally seeming less tightly wound than in the past month. ”Flávia, you had something you wanted to bring up?”
”Yes, given that a large share of Pridwen Solutions’ portfolio is in spaceflight, Mr. Ward asked for our pilots’ time before the weekend for some promotional work.”
”Easy enough to do, if it’s nothing risky. We’ll be on the Moon early anyway to acclimatize.”

---

Briat77: Absolutely disgusting to see what this team has become. Selling out to Tommy corpo scum and blatantly prioritizing their planted pilot who has nothing to do with the team’s culture, just brings money.
Javi: team prolly sabotaged ava to make ward look better artificially
IronBeer: …do you need psychiatric help? ‘Cause I know a guy.
Xinny: @TiresAndTinfoil if you’re ever doing a podcast I’ve got a co-host for you.
NineIron: You mean a “nutcast”
Darkstar69: I’d pay to watch that. Preferably after a good blunt.
Crossfit_Crusader: Might wanna hit up that pothead weirdo that hangs around Valkyrie forums.
CarreraCarmen: Nooooo, poor Ava.
GalwayGirl: She was absolutely on fire today.
AndesAG: maybe time for that new engine pridwen has been failing to deliver since season start
User420: @MadBea: Any thoughts on the continuing Valkyrie mess?
MadBea: I think it’s best to not stick my nose where it doesn’t belong.
CloroxEnjoyer: Hope Nordic Call can bounce back after this BS.
Shel1: You mean Astrid, ‘cause Waldgard is fucking nowhere
NorthWest: We don’t claim him. As far Sweden is concerned, he’s Danish.

---

Fri 14/05 18:22 EVA [Batt: 42%]

> BEATRIX VIOLA!
> What?
> I cannot believe you.
> What did I do now?
> [Link to Delta Hyper Episode 5, timestamped to Bea’s exchange with Paul just after the kart race]
> What?
> What’s harmless banter between friends?
> You are unbelievable!
^{[You reacted with 😆]}
> And you need to lay off the romcoms. 😛
> If you have a wishlist for Moon souvenirs, send it my way.
^{[“Eva” reacted with ❤️]}
> I’ll take some regolith samples and take a lot of holos.
^{[You reacted with 👍]}
> Nothing for Christopher?
> I didn’t want to presume.
> He builds dioramas and models.
> Moon landings?
> He doesn’t have any yet.
> [Link to 1:10 scale model]? 😛
> Fiend. 😆

---

---

---

---

“Son of a…!” Kais said as he swerved. He had sped off the start, and nearly grazed Amy’s stalled ship right at the starting lines. “Control, Sterling’s down. Report!” “Just a stall, Kais, be on the lookout, she’s coming back,” his race engineer Zeina said. And before he could enjoy his headstart, Amy had fought her way past him again with a vengeance.

The rest of the race, the migraines plagued him once again, but the largest by far was the one in front of him. Han defended well. He had seen her up-close back in Auckland, battling those in front of her and gaining on Makara almost effortlessly, but to be stuck behind her now himself was even more infuriating. Han seemed to either have a reaction speed or a tactical, forward thinking mind that very few other people on the grid had. Like she knew what he would try for the moment he had decided on it, only to cut him off. “Come on, take her down, Kais.” he said to himself, but was blocked just as he came out of the corner and went for an overtake.

“Control, Han’s blocking hard. Tell me where she’s weak.” “Just keep pressuring her, Kais. She’ll crack.” And there, almost inhumanly subtle, he swore he saw her setup an opening for a tricksy move that might well have been from the go-karting incident. Crack? Kais thought. She’s baiting you. Don’t play her game.

He lined up for an inside pass instead, and was blocked yet again…

And again.

And again.

Until the chequered flag flew, and they came in 7th and 8th.

---

Kais' head still ached, and Layla had seemed ghostly pale after the race, absentminded, and she hadn't even come up for the interviews with Delta Hyper either, so Kais wanted to get his own interview over with as soon as possible. Yet the crew seemed to have a schedule of their own they were sticking to. So, he waited impatiently.

Kais begrudgingly nodded at Han as she was invited into the booth, and his headache seemed to worsen. “Hey you, that trick you pulled? I’m not going to forget it. You want to fight? You’re getting one. Next time we go neck and neck, we’ll see how you like it when I stop pulling my punches,” he said, and could already imagine the rolling of eyes, the haughty smirk. some variant of I’m-better-than-you, and so he made sure to add “and tell Cassie she had a good run. Second place is nothing to scoff at, P7.”

Then, when she was in her interview, he crossed his arms again, and started tapping his arm, until Beatrix was up. “Bad luck, huh. Saw Ava’s burn-out, pass her my regards, will you?”

Then, to Nora: “Heard you had some trouble keeping your ride stable.”

Then came Paul. And as he passed, Kais said "Not bad, ace. I’ll need to keep an eye on you.”

Then, finally, he was brought in, and Aurora seemed to quickly rush through the question the moment she saw the look on his face. It was hot here too.

"Kais, a difficult weekend out there after two podiums in a row for yourself and the team, it looked like you and Layla are struggling with focus on the ship. What do you think happened out there?"

“Aurora, I’m a racer, not an engineer.” Kais said with exasperation. He rubbed his eyes, where the pinching pain had slowly started to subside. And he thought with some annoyance about how the two of them had done during the race. Layla came in 12th, and showed extreme twitching during the race, not something he would’ve expected had she used the safer setup. His feet rocked with restlessness. “We’re working hard on things, alright. And sometimes it’s just not your day. Maybe next race will be better. See you all then.” Then he stood up and walked out as quickly as he came in. He needed to check up on something.

---

“Nadia, with me,” Kais said as he walked past her in the paddock, and Nadia instantly snapped to attention, nearly knocking the drinks out of Hamid’s hands as she excused herself, waved him ‘till later and followed, knowing exactly what would have been so pressing to Kais.

“Where’s Layla?” Kais asked. “I don’t know. I haven’t seen her in a while. I think she’s resting, she’s not online in any case. She seemed a bit out of it. Do you think she’s alright?” “I think she got rid of the guardrails we put on her neural modulator - idiot. I need you to help me comb through the data, I want to know what happened to her out there.”

In the hours after, the two of them hid themselves away in some corner, and went over the replay of the race, their V.I. assistants helping them filter it all to find the most anomalous sections of the race. And very quickly, it became clear that, indeed, she had disabled their safety-setup, and in fact had gone above and beyond.

“There’s a massive neural spike in Layla’s readings, far beyond baseline,” Nadia said. “But the signal sent through the neural link was categorized as an ‘unknown’. That rarely happens. Normally those're completely filtered out.” “What did the ship’s systems make of it?” Kais asked as Nadia pulled up the data. “Strange, the pattern seems more like interference than anything else, but the ship’s A.I. seemed to know what to do with it. It didn’t discard it as an outlier, in any case. But I don’t see any particularly anomalous commands going to the ship controls, no spikes there at all. I don’t get it.” “Hmm, then surely it would’ve reported it back to Control for debugging. Look in the communication logs.” Nadia tapped away. “There are some strange broadcasts sent, anonymously too, but none of them were received by our own systems. This is weird. Where did they go?” Kais leant back in thought. Spying malware? No, that would've been active all the time. This was an intentional action, interpreted by the A.I. and triggered by Layla's thoughts. But what did it act upon? “Do we have anything on the rest of the networked systems here, any track telemetry?” Nadia pulled up the graphs on the holo-tablet: a few milliseconds following the event, there had been a brief spike in how much power was drawn at one of the track sections. “No, that can't…”, a creeping suspicion came over Kais. “Holography, now!” And then they saw it: Amy's ship stalling when its energy systems spiked and tripped up her neural link.

Layla had wanted. Her ship’s A.I. had listened. And through the network, seemingly as good as untraceable, another ship's systems had spiked. And Kais said, “What the fu--?”

---

---

Glitch

Soundtrack: Hybrid- All Torque (Raffertie Remix)

Leaping onto the concrete floor of the Silver Apex pit garage, Amy paced across the short distance and immediately confronted Keira, the tech coming off the pit wall to see the scowl a mile wide on Amy's face.
"What the fuck was that?" The half British, half Korean pilot asked, as Keira shrugged.

"Looks like a software glitch. We don't have all the telemetry but...."

"Keira, the bloody thing disconnected me for a split second. I don't do that. That isn't my mind playing tricks, I know I'm solvent. Much as it might seem that way. Also, that Valkyrie pilot got in the way and acted dangerously on my moves. Are we not talking about that?" Amy huffed, as Jamie looked across, the look from Amy sending daggers, Peter walking over.

"Amy. Come on. Leave it for now, we'll sort it later." Peter responded, Amy shrugging, a deep sigh audible from her voice.

Amy nodded, taking back a bit of sense, knowing probably best not to make a scene. The kind of thing she warned against.

The scene cut to the studio.

Sitting in the room, Keira sat on the sofa, a little more analysis poured in.

"Amy is hyper-competitive. She was on pole....and losing that felt like a blow especially she knows there was nothing she could do. Software almost never crashes like this. So we have to fix it, and just move onto the next." Keira sighed, the now silver-haired, silver-shirt wearing engineer showing rather passive body language.

"Do you think Amy's feeling the heat this season, and it's adding to the frustration?" Aurora's disembodied voice behind the camera asked, as Keira shook her head.

"Our pre-season was incredible. Amy came out of it on some of the best form I've ever seen her in within our four year relationship. She's ice cold.....but, the other teams have accelerated fast out of the gate to get their ELS systems up and running. I think Amy wants to win. But that's going to be harder than she expected. Amy knows that. Her pullback shows she has the pace. She just needs better luck, and us to pull some late night finding out quite how her neural link disconnected under load."

---

Climbing

"P9 baby, hell yeah!" Max yelled out into his comms, Carl wooping in response too.

"Nice work Max, bring it on in. That's valuable points, let's keep chasing Carrera and Nordic. Get in there." Carl responded, the tanned American whooping back, a smile on his face visible in the pit wall, as he high-fived the analyst next to him in only a way a points finish could make him do.

Carl sat in the sofa on Delta Hyper's couch, addressing the unspoken question.

"It is safe to say the investment we thought was coming......well, it isn't being felt yet, if you read me. So, Max is on top of the world to perform that well in a ship that we're still learning this season. He's piloting that thing like he stole it, so he shows we're performing well. And that is all we can do for now."

"With so much chaos on the grid, do you think there's a difficulty to keep him if the ship can't keep up? Silver Apex and Valkyrie are rumoured to be eyeing him up for next season, how do you respond to that?" Aurora asked, the rumours of course, absolutely the kind of gossip that happens on the paddock. What happens when you put two and two together and make 12, because Dorian retiring left a pilot-sized hole at a team supposedly near the top four.

"Not something I can answer, but.....well, okay. It hasn't even crossed our mind, but we know it's hard to ignore. Max is committed from everything we talk about right now. This team is everything the project he has been looking for, and it would take a lot to change that for him. It's a slow burner here. But I think we'll be coming for the others soon."

---

Analysis with Rory Andrews

The gilet-wearing, commentator extraordinaire was cut into scene next, Rory's stubbled face recognisable to the audience in response to the two scenes before, as well as those at Al-Saqr, Carrera and Valkyrie.

"So, where do we start. Amy's stall. An uncharacteristic mistake from Silver Apex, up until now, who have been dominant, just baffles me. I imagine someone will be in deep trouble over that, because it cost her that victory. Amy did not respond well after that, but I can't blame her. Her crash rate and attrition rate is amongst the lowest in Formula AG. So she can't be pleased to lose points at a circuit critical to them." Rory began, honest in his analysis of the start of the race.

"As for the rest, Paul Mulder, Cassie Neves, take a bow. The former defended like a lion, holding back a rampaging Stirling with good positioning and fair racing, and the latter? She was frankly powered on fan-boost, charging through Kelly and Mulder on the aggressive, attacking driving we enjoy watching her do. She has been incredibly underwhelming so far for the high hopes many had of her at Zygon, but I think she's silenced me this race, among others! More like this, and I think we'll see the Cassie Neves we were hoping to see at Zygon." Rory commented, sighing, looking across at the telemetry, and the gigantic projected constructors championship.

"Jamie Hart I think is still a problem many aren't talking about enough. And he is getting a ton of coverage, so make of that what you will. It's still too early to tell, but surely, something must change at Silver Apex, or else Southern Cross will run away with this title. They must be stressing over there. Zenix, Kelly put a solid shift in, as did Mulder. Wedgewood managed to put that ship higher than it ever deserved to be, and I think some are going to be thinking about him as a serious option for Apex next year- but same time, he has been outspoken about MMR's future plans" Rory commented, shifting the topic towards that midfield.

"And as for the other midfield teams, Nordic Call is being let down by Waldgard too. From the recent race form he seems to have, and just doesn't have the measure of Astrid this season. It's hard to see Fitzroy or even SuperCat being able to scrape points this season, given they still seem to be in transition, and one must think that Fitzroy is a miracle at the moment considering all the news." Rory finalised on them, sitting up.

"Then for principals? I suppose everyone is asking if Alexander Knight is performing to internal standards. But it seems like scandal after scandal comes out of Valkyrie. I think he must be doing something right in spite of losing his Chief Engineer, but the wider team seems in disarray. He will have a hell of a job on his hands, and I think no Team Principal would ever want to deal with his situation, let alone an experienced one such as Peter or Owen."

---

Two States

Johanna checked the phone, her digits trying to parse together the right message to Alexander. She wasn't neurally linked in, not for this. Not for an quantum encrypted message that needed to be sent. She had another Committee to go, being the Special Rep for Anti-Gravity Technology putting her in the firing line of all of this. Valkyrie's stakeholders had started all screaming, and they did not go to Alexander. They went to her. So her response had to be to calm him down, and well, point the ship.

"Alexander,

Can't talk much now, but I'm fighting the fire you found. This is quantum encrypted so keep this to yourself, as this is not on any EU-network, and are my thoughts are being shared privately because you won't know how to deal with this.

Privately, I am impressed with what you have done so far within the team despite some shaky results, and are unlucky to be here whilst this is happening. You put your head on the line, but the people investigating this won't mess around. So I will help because you did the right thing, but I will be honest, you won't like what I have to say.

This is going to be worse. Your search warrants are from the German state and you did the right thing there, but the entire brunt of the European Union's Department for Economic and Financial Affairs is about to bear down on you, so expect things to get hot. They aren't like normal police. They will audit you to an inch of your life.

Brendel and Zimmerman's slush funds are going to be recovered but it is possible they will try and hit back against you and make this a mess. To that end, a full financial audit will be performed of Valkyrie, which will mean full intrusion of the HQ for the next three weeks to make sure you are clean, so this will cause disruption. You need to find a way to make sure the team do not get affected- the ESA have a pool of engineers you can second and I recommend you bring in as many as you can to minimise disruption, as they aren't involved in any of this mess. That will help ease the pressure on the team, but you need to manage that.

FIAR will be interested in the same audit, because they technically stole the championship's money via a non-authorised outlet, and thus, now put them into disrepute and commercial contracts could be at risk. That could lead to disqualification from this season for the constructor race if they think it's necessary. Hopefully they don't. This is not your fault. But this is how it works.

Abuse allegations are small fry and can be dealt at a Public Inquiry in Strasbourg which is for politicians, but the siphoning of public money means member states are going to rampage until they get an answer so it likely means extended court cases. This will be messy.

I'll deal with the politics. I've been here six months so no way of knowing how far this goes, outside of Leopold's instincts and your information. The investigators will likely find the rest.

You focus on running this show, reassure anyone in the team and sponsors, and get the results. We need positive stories, and zero comment on the background. I will appoint replacement board members after Monaco and sort them out personally with Leopold, given the last thing the SPV partners (Renault, Ferrari etc.) want is the same audit we are receiving. If you deliver, the questions stop at Leopold and me, but I need no engineers, pilots, or anyone getting angry to create any more drama or things get really bad.

This is far above yours and Leopold's paygrade now.

Also- you need to make sure Arianna is nowhere near anything to do with Valkyrie right now. I understand you won't like me for this, but any link of her getting treatment on site at present, this will be an issue, so cease anything. They will put you to this if there is an Inquiry, and as an Estonian citizen, you are legally bound to answer their questions. Please understand I do not tell you this to be liked, when I respect people like yourself enough to give them the courtesy to do the right thing.

Speak soon.

Johanna."

Sent.

It was not a nice message. But Johanna hoped Alexander would understand the gravity of just how screwed Valkyrie was. She sighed, as the call prompt came up on her desk's holographic display for the meeting.

---

The Heat

Sitting inside of the sim room, Dorian sat in a sweat against the wall as he saw Anais come by, deep in prep for Luna, putting in the hours before the entire day of EVA emergencies and safety. He was on his own this morning, and wanted time to chat to her, wanting to at least talk things over quietly. The simulator seat had been shut, and he was cooling down outside of it, slumped against the wall on a beanbag.

Not exactly the best week he'd had, after all, finding out all he had was upsetting to say the least. Anais and him had been busy- given he was at the twilight of his career, this was not how he wanted it to end.

To someone who wasn't Valkyrie, or his other half. Wearing an athletic undersuit, an Enigma Lux one no less, he appreciated Anais being on time, even if that time was very early in the Aachen morning.

"Morning. You are here early?" She asked, Dorian chuckling.

"I needed to take my mind off things."

"Clearly. I can't help but notice." She replied with a smirk, as Dorian looked blank.

"What can I do. This is not what I expected of retirement. I am too old for this shit sometimes I feel."

"And yet my number one client would not say that. You are still pulling in big names. Credit Agricole, Terra, Bang and Olufsen, they like the content you make and outside of a certain Beatrix Ward, you seem to be producing your well. Ignore the Valkyrie nonsense. I can tell it is that, which is getting you upset." Anais added, sitting down next to him, sighing, the Luxembourgish-Indian publicist all too aware of Dorian's cues.

"I mean, it is that, isn't it?" She added, as Dorian looked over, not needing much thought.

"Felix is gone. Two more engineers I worked with are gone. The ship failed and compromised us positions in Portugal. Brendel got arrested, and now for the first time since Audrick died, I'm thinking about things over than racing because I can't get the team out of my head. I've been here years, and in reward for my loyalty, I'm watching the team I spent half a decade as a solid piece and doing my job, start to fall apart. And Alex just happens to be the one it happens to...poor guy. Fuck. At this point, it's nearly better to pull the plug. Walk away before the roof falls in. The legacy I thought I'd have is getting more and more difficult to cement." Dorian's usual charm was weary, tired even.

"You could say something. Help him, no? And....after, you must be thinking of the next step, so Valkyrie may still be a good place for that if you want that role. You would make a good race strategist. Or pundit. You have a voice Delta Hyper, RTL, ZDF would adore."

"The gentleman playboy of the grid? Running a team? Or commentating? You are crazy, Anais."

"Well, someone said that about Alexander before they offered him the job. And he got it because of Mulder's mother. Safeguarding her son in the sport, and her influence on Leopold. It's no coincidence, he's managed other outfits but nothing the size of this. I guess that they were desperate and knew they might make him the fall guy, if it all collapses into itself, Paul included. Or they realised he's the only person that could take on Brendel, and he might be a popular choice for fans, being a legend in the sport. Either way, I thought you should know that from my digging." Anais commented, as if to drive another knife into him. Or at least, it felt like it was made of plastic at this point.

Dorian sighed with a certain look back, the curly-haired, undersuit wearing Frenchman just at his wits end.

"Is anyone actually not corrupt here apart from me and Paul? Fuck, what happened to just being a son of a millionaire, having your seat bought in Junior AG, and going racing? Jesus, at least we knew then where you stood. Arianna is.....was, here too. But....I don't know. He's the lesser evil of all of it. Somehow. Fuck knows. If he's caught up in this, then it all goes to shit." Dorian was not sure of his own thoughts, shaking his head as Anais replied.

"I agree. Alexander doing what he can, but this is going to be a storm and he needs to weather it for all of us to keep getting paid. Do you think Cassie saw it coming?" Anais asked, changing the topic.

Dorian paused in thought at her question, shaking his head.

"Don't tell me you think she might have known." Dorian replied, almost as if not wanting to compute that thought.

"What if she did? Would it help?" Anais said, the two looking across at the comprehensive sim suite, deep in that chat still.

"Maybe. All I know is I need to stay through to the summer break, as a minimum. I just hope this improves. Take the money while it's there, keep the networks up with the other teams, and then call it a day. Leave a legacy. Have kids. Be boring. Paul definitely needs to be mentored too. I owe that much to his old man." Dorian seemed to collect thoughts more, thinking over this a bit more logically now.

"I thought you'd like the chaos a bit more for someone of your taste." Anais chuckled, Dorian actually cracking a smile.

"Yeah, that is true. May as well get back to work, nothing's certain till we have this fixed." Dorian replied, getting his smile back, trying to leap back into a positive frame of mind.

"I'll sort out the endorsements. They will just want this to be over, so let me do some good publicity, you glow on camera, and I'll make this go away. Let's hope Alexander holds his end of the deal?" Anais commented, standing too, Dorian smirking back.

"Sounds like a plan."

Mindset was king in racing. But with the anarchy in the background, keeping focus at 500kph was not exactly easy.

---

Callback

Sitting inside the flashy office within Songdo, Cassie sat at the desk replying to mail, some fan, some sponsor, some publicist, lots Zygon overheads whilst sipping away at her coffee.

She was occupied at it wearing her team polo shirt and shorts, interrupted by an unknown number on her glass-like phone. She swiped her finger on it, picking up and linking it into her neural link to at least not talk out loud in the office and be that shit.

"Hello. Who's this?"

"Bonsoir. It's Dorian. Sorry to ring you, it must be late over in Seo...."

"Why are you calling?"

"It's....look, I'll cut to it. Why did you get so angry about Valkyrie? Did you know?"

"Did I know what?"

"You can't have missed the news."

"Oh....oh, fuck, yeah. Heh, seems like I was right. Shitty management. What a shock." Cassie's sarcasm dripped on the phone.

"Look. I think I got too frustrated at you. I didn't understand why you wanted to leave. I got frustrated because you wanted to be world champion tomorrow."

"And I do. But it sounds like you are about to apologise, so go on, say it."

"Sorry I didn't get us equitable treatment. I apologise. I did it because....well, team-mates are rivals and you deserved better at the time from me." Dorian's words were heavy, as if they came from a place of almost frustration.

Cassie shirked, shrugging her shoulders, walking into a sealed meeting room, hitting the blinds, and deactivating any recording in the table's centre console. That was enough for her to take on. This wasn't about Valkyrie or Zygon doing well, this was more a personal aspect.

"I'll accept that. Fine. And I could have been less of a wee twat to you, and been more patient. I get your point, but things happened, now I'm here, and you're still there. This is a fickle sport where things change." Cassie added, sitting on the table, staring into the blank glass wall. "Dorian, if I remember, they picked you over me back then, not because of results."

"Meaning..."

"I mean there's no easy way to say this. You were at the core of what they wanted, and they knew I was easier to keep second fiddle if a bigger team wanted to steal me. How many of your personal endorsements end up on Valkyrie's ship, and how much more did they yield when the performance bonuses paid out? I thought you were good at this whole game, so why am I telling you this, something I swear we argued about to begin with?"

"Those are big words. Are you suggesting they stole from my dividend?"

"Nobody in Valkyrie did a thing when you're the reason Brendel's slush fund is so thick. Some clever accounting and he pocketed it into a server and you still got paid. Knight had no chance of knowing. My gut told me something wasn't right. So yeah. That's how I see it."

"Shit."

"Yeah, well, it doesn't matter, because they're now going to find a healthy amount of money they can put into the team from your endorsements. Audits will clear you and you'll get to go on living. Hooray for you. If your endorsements stay on board. Jesus, Anais is gonna have a field day."

"Hooray for me? You knew. And you didn't say anything."

"Because I couldn't do a thing, Dorian. Because who listens to the second pilot against the vet who brings in the cash? We already had that argument about roles. Let's not start again. You know I had my reasons."

"So why do I get the feeling you're just as pissed? I know you, Cassie."

"Dorian, I've been sat in an office full of people who want to analyse every piece of my behaviour to fit the Far Eastern market, capitalising on that P2 in Portugal. They are selling Pastel de Natas in Myong-Dong with my face printed on the jam, which I'll be honest, is freaky. Some of this is straight up weird to me even now. Shit, I have no idea why I'm telling you this. Maybe because....it didn't have to be that way."

"Maybe you're telling me because you're in over your head and despite leaving and telling me all of this, you feel your Team Principal is a useless sack and you're now part of something the same as what you left? It's a Chaebol, for God's sake. And Silver Apex is no better, Cass." Dorian's wisdom bit back, as Cassie's fire countered.

"Maybe. But, we're both in the sport, and what happened, happened. People would kill for this. So yay us." Cassie sighed.

"Indeed."

"Well, I'm sure we'll knock the crap out of each other on the circuit after anyway, so it's not like there's much we can do."

"And the media will blow it out of proportion."

"It keeps people watching."

"That it does."

"That was a good talk. Look after yourself, Dorian."

"Bye."

Disconnecting the line, Cassie exhaled hard, and put her face into the table, and her head into her hands.

Fade to black.

---

The cutaway includes the scenes of Amy darting in and out between Paul, fighting hard for position, Harrison's victory, Paul's podium, and the fire of Ava's ship, as well as the competition that raged hard throughout the circuit played on, the final scenes of the Portuguese AGP playing out.

"We're off to Luna in two weeks time, and we can't wait to bring you all the action from what will be a special Grand Prix. I'm Aurora Baxter signing off, we'll see you in the next one!"

With it, the final closing scene of Cassie on the podium, trophy held high played out, and from there, a fade to black of the footage.

---

FORWARD/////PERSPECTIVE

Soundtrack: M83- Outro

The music begins, playing back archive footage of Apollo 11, the gigantic rocket leaving the pad at Kennedy Space Centre, the tail shot of Earth, and the sight of the Moon. Luna. The grey, rock-filled satellite of Earth, a memory ago. The landings which you already know, the planting of an American flag, gently set as the music strums. And then, the setup of the battery-powered Lunar Rover. Archive footage of it rolling about, bouncing on the grey, shard-like surface.

And as the music rises, the rudimental buggy rolling slowly across the lunar surface changes in a glitch effect as it suddenly dips through a small dimple in the surface, a Al-Saqr ship flying out and spraying dust, chased by a Silver Apex and Valkyrie ship in exactly the same shot, breaking from poor colour-correction to ultra, ultra high definition that immersed the viewer in their turns. The turns with zero atmosphere forcing the ships to quite literally act as if they were flying with the usually redundant corrective thrusters, which do the heavy lifting on Luna, rather than the airbrakes which appear to be fixed in place.

And the camera slowly following the two side on as they latched through a MAG section into a canyon, before it turns, catching them as they roar out of a crest, getting sucked back in by a neatly placed mag-plate into the surface again, the dust billowing in the solar wind to reveal the mostly blue, white, and green planet beyond it.

A soft, gentle, narrating voice comes on, without her in physical presence yet.

Layla.

"Looking back at Earth, 384 thousand kilometres away, it's hard to put into perspective when you see it for the first time. It is where home is."

As the ships roar past, Layla leans against her own ship, off-circuit clad in a green, white and black spacesuit, staring into oblivion, her figure coming into frame on the camera shot. Her visor has a beautiful gold tinge to it from a pulled down sunvisor, the suit cut out of more modern composite and significantly more elegant than that of something NASA would have 70 years prior, but still, requiring pressurisation and many amendments to meet Layla's own augments.

She has seen this before. But if you haven't as the audience, you're taking in Earthrise. The tiniest of thoughts. And a montage plays out.

"Yet from there, comes every innovation, invention, and the things we make." Medicine, flight, the motorcar, skyscrapers, augmentations on pilots legs.

"Every fight, every battle." Trench warfare. Modern conflict with exoskeletons and hovertanks. Engineers at work on ships and paint being traded in earlier rounds this season, particularly Jamie and Bea, Astrid and Han, Kais and Paul.

"Every adventure, our courage." The sailing of ships on faraway shores in the Pacific through storms in the 17th Century, ocean trench exploration from a submarine, hot air balloons, freeride mountain biking and the rolling of a crewed buggy on Mars, kicking up red dust.

"Every story we tell, and every dream we have." Layla sighed, not making half a bad actor here. The music continues to build, approaching crescendo.

"And every single one of us." A newborn held in a doctor's hands, and children playing in a Pre-School. And footage there of Layla, who clearly, clearly, was dreaming of becoming on astronaut one day from the toy helmet she had. Cutting back to Layla's face, helmeted on, staring into oblivion, cutting back to the scene before her of the curves of the Moon and the pale Earth beyond.

"There was a time when the Moon was an untouchable dream to us. A pale light in the night sky, calling out to humanity, daring us to reach for it." Cutting back to the Buggy from the 1970s again, and the archive footage playing back again.

"And we did. We set foot here, a fragile species bound to our home, yet bold enough to leave it. Decades turned to centuries, and what was once impossible became inevitable. The Moon, our first step... became our proving ground. Our next chapter." The footage cut to more recent footage from the 2040s of more frequent Lunar landings, on return. Not just the Americans, but the Chinese Space Programme, the Indian one, the Korean, European, even the private entity of Fitzroy finally starting to make a dent into its own private tourism industry on Luna.

Then in the 2060s, the beginnings of Colonia Asterion, later Asterion-Cresent, the Valdes Helium-3 mine, as well as more development across the lunar surface, looking more and more like what Antarctica may have looked like in the 1950s as slowly, humanity put a foothold on there. Scattered, tiny settlements, but bit by bit, people stayed. People were there not for just science, but for mining work. And that had exploded, turning into Australian-style five on five off, except it was more five to ten months on, five to ten months off depending on rotation and risk profile. Mars was just starting to get that treatment now, thanks to new nuclear fusion-powered drives, and the Solar System beyond was beckoning. That vast black had humans in it now, and if there was any part of humanity that could have optimism, hope, this was it.

Bit by bit, the structures phase into the montage, including the now mothballed Mare Austral, and the assembly of the track by a fairly brave group of Astronauts and supporting engineers. The circuit's complexity and MAG stripping, a piece of humankind's desires to race, to win, put here.

And now.

The scene shifts to a high-speed shot of the Mare Austral Circuit, its vast, winding layout etched into the Lunar surface like an artist's brushstroke with MAG tracking amongst buildings and impossible things that you couldn't do on earth, bending most people's understanding of perspective, impossibly big jumps, and a mix of technical and fast all across the place. The circuit is breathtaking —a mix of human ingenuity and raw, alien beauty. The camera follows an AG craft as it streaks across the track, kicking up faint trails of Lunar dust in its wake going past Layla again.

"The Moon is no longer a silent to us, far away no more. Not just a constant in everyone's night sky. It is alive with the roar of humanity's desires. Our collective dream, to explore the universe, starts here."

The music intensifies as the AG craft dives into a section of the track cut into a jagged canyon. Massive holographic displays rise from the regolith, and the virtual audience able to watch. The craft weaves through tight corners, its thrusters flaring, the soundless void replaced with the pounding rhythm of M83’s soaring melody, interspersed with onboard audio. A mixture of archive racing footage, Amy and Layla competing over first, the rush of a Carrera Condor ship into the horizon, and flat across the Lunar surface, leaving a trail.

"This is more than just a race. This is a celebration of what we’ve become. Of where we are going. Of our boundless courage, our ceaseless innovation, our will to push past every limit. To go faster. To be more than human. To go beyond." Layla commented, the Jordanian turning towards camera, her face barely visible beneath her darkened, hazy gold visor, standing by her ship's side, facing back to the camera, exhaling oxygen and back to the camera.

You might have felt a teeny tinge of irony given Layla's background, but for half a gleaming second, even with what was going on with Layla, there was absolutely a person emotive in there beyond the machine, her voice at creak but composing back for the final part. A half script, but....something deep in her heart seemed to carry it.

"Welcome to Formula AG. Welcome to Luna."

With it, the tones of M83 fade out, the camera panning to reveal the wider complex, and most importantly, just how tiny, utterly insignificant it was. There weren't many settlements this side of the moon. Lights were not visible. It was grey, and then beyond, and endless, nebulous black filled with stars beyond number, as with that, the title sequence faded to black.

---

DELTΔ HYPER

Episode Six: The Dark Side of the Moon

With Royston in picture on the sofa, the scene comes back in again. It's shot on Earth, given some of the footage is from before the race, in front of the blank wall that Delta Hyper has been using in this season so far. Royston is as always, animated.

"Why Luna? Well, we are always trying to find the next thing. And so when the Mare Austral site was proposed by the former operator as an ideal site, full of chasms, climbs, natural turns from excavation activity, we had to investigate. And we found a perfect circuit for Formula AG to demonstrate we're more than just a Earth-bound sport. We're pushing the frontier. So, we go where no motor sport has ever gone, and we are exploring more options." Royston's tone was a chirpy one, the classic marketing on display as other.

Simon Hall came into view, the polo-shirt wearing Silver Apex designer having his own views.

"Because I suppose it is a challenge. The ships are incredibly hard to tailor. And they are....well, nothing if a completely different race. Ships need to now rotate and fly, aided not by air resistance but by actual propellant and oxidiser. Aerodynamics are completely irrelevant, suddenly you create a ship that needs to incorporate innovative design to carve over the surface. The pulse engines do well at that, but they need rethinking a little. Each team prepares, like the old teams used to for Monaco each year, and comes with its own solution. And it changes year to year as our ship designs change. We can't build a ship dedicated to Luna. But we can refit, and think about how we make the adjustments, from secondary thrust systems to regolith filters, to updated HUD and anti-gravity unit adjustments." Simon's analysis seemed pertinent.

Movement in the background of each team's HQ could be seen, from specialist ISO-styled containers made for spaceflight, made out of a highly tensile composite being loaded, including the ships themselves, one to each small spaceplane. Crew were boarding, harnessed up in the cockpit areas, and getting readied for launch. It was a hell of a logistics operation. A ton of health and safety, training, from the pilots going through neurally-linked VR training to real sim work in a pool to get used to a spacesuit, to dealing with emergencies, including pressure loss, hull loss, trauma in zero-G and sealing suits in the event of an incident. The sort of thing that 70 years prior, might have been an undergraduate course worth of content, was now teachable in a week. Many had undergone it in the pilot pool already. Those who were new picked it up fast enough, their physical and mental state as pilots fitting the extra requirements well.

Peter Thatcher appeared next, the formally dressed team boss of Silver Apex having his own input.

"Well, it's a pain in the f*cking arse to go there, but you all know it at home.....it's pretty spectacular. It's very good racing. And I think the sport evolves when we work with constraints. It's hard to prepare for, but the pilots still prove us wrong."

Spaceplanes were a little more difficult to run to Luna than a traditional rocket, but no less, technology meant they could be loaded, and launched from various spots, Silver Apex and Fitzroy Orbital sharing facilities from a launch site of Fitzroy's on the Isle of Nevis (in St Kitts and Nevis), Southern Cross from Otrere Launch Site in Hastings, New Zealand, Valkyrie and Nordic Call from Kourou Space Centre in French Guiana, Zygon from Wonsan Spaceport, Korea, Al-Saqr and SuperCat from Hamad International Spaceport in Qatar, MMR from Koch Space Centre in Texas, and Carrera Condor from Punta Arenas Spaceport in southern Patagonia, Chile.

The launch of Silver Apex's in particular caught the light as it soared from the angled runway, all burners on, and accelerating towards the sky, endlessly so. Minimum tonnage and minimum crews- a barebones pit team and only the pilots would make the trip, Principals optional given the use of a datalink. Space was difficult still, and in spite of decades of this, literally going hundreds of thousands of kilometres away from home, in zero-G, meant adaptations that were more profound.

And what a view it would be, looking back through the port window....

Soundtrack: ODESZA - Intro / A Moment Apart

What had been talked about in that intro was something that did not need understating, it was...well, there. Even if you had seen it before as a pilot, it would still be a headscratcher. If you hadn't, even a neurally linked VR experience couldn't entirely lay out the feeling of touching that port window and staring at all of it. Where home was, or where the team was, or Portugal, or anywhere else growing smaller by the second. A change of perspective that revaluated everything you understood.

All the conflict, worry, concern, friends, family, all of it, as Layla had articulated, were well and truly in that one field of vision, enough to make you either hopeful for the future of humanity and advancements, like Layla wanted, or so appreciative of the care of it and preservation of it, just like Harrison did. On a philosophical level, for many people this would re-evaluate your understanding of place if you hadn't seen it. Some even said the proliferation of spaceflight in the 2040s had become the main driver for many billionaires, governments and other organisations to focus their efforts on change,

It wasn't a long journey given the slingshot dropped the spaceplanes quick to the site, near the southern pole of the Moon, in one of the "seas" of the Lunar surface. The spaceplanes offered zero-G, via the same matrices that allowed the ships to float with anti-matter being inverted to provide about 8/10ths of regular gravity, a rough compromise for power and conserving muscle mass. Of course, not everyone had that luck. Many had to deal with zero-g on the way to Luna for work, taking supplements, and even in more extreme cases, augments to deal with osteoporosis, bone density change and the risks associated with long-term radiation exposure. Most cancers could be very easily cured back on Earth, but radiation poisoning, that could do a number.

One by one, they had arrived a week early, and the mothballed facility, with old digging equipment laying dormant like some sort of surreal slate quarry in Snowdonia, now was populated- half of the facility embedded in a lava tube, the other half protected from solar radiation by regolith covering and some exceptionally complicated field generators powered by a localised solar field 4km away. Everything was sealed, but EVA was undertaken where needed, for track maintenance or any other orders of business. The pitlanes were hybridised- the ships were worked upon within an airlock, with crews clearing and depressurising the area to let ships leave and go, as needed. Pilot suits were modified bespoke to the function, as were team kit, the use of robotics coming in extremely useful to help tinker with ships once the crews needed to be clear, or were in bulkier kit.

Biosecurity was a significant factor in line with the 2075 Istanbul Agreements on Lunar Biosecurity- and the crews were isolated for a two days before they could access the operational areas of the facility, and a couple days after before departing Luna altogether if in contact, driven by a huge fear of infections to mining or other crews from MRSA and other bugs that came from various corners of the globe into space, especially operational sites that technically, Mare Austral was categorised under. Further supplies already on site, or from Luna, or from Earth were then brought in as and when. For those with marketing prowess, making the most out of the downtime, away from other pilots was likely a boon.

The track was set up, advertising, virtual spectator positions, and one by one, practice runs that trickled in. For any pilot, this was everything they had come to dream of. No other series came here. No other series (bar someone insanely suggesting the World Rally Championship or World Raid Championship could, but, would that even be a relevant title to it?) came here.

And for the moment being, the tunnels, small pit box sealed within an enclosed facility, the teeny area under a repulsor enclosure still demanding EVA suits to access, and then the one outside of it, made for the most spectacular circuit of the year. If sleep schedules were broken in the quarantine, now they were fixed and primed to make the most of this place.

Nothing about this was easy, as Peter said.

---

The Sofa on the Moon

Delta Hyper's often used sofa, normally against a backer, now had Earthrise in the background, with a camera perfectly placed next to it. It sat directly on the regolith, the nanite-covered material catching the solar wind.

A normal interview with quite a different background.

Quite comical, really, because the shot opens with the sofa empty.

Every single pilot was going up to it, on top of what looked like a boulder-like arrangement outside of the old Mare Austral site, the sofa lined in god-knows-what protection material to stop it being shredded by regolith. And there wasn't anyone there. A projected hologram of Aurora sat without a EVA suit on, but to stop boiling and freezing alive at the same time, the pilots would need to bring theirs. Either a pilot-grade suit, that they'd be used to that was suitable for walking, or a more bespoke spacesuit brought along, likely repping their team colours. The design of the suits were significantly more modern as Layla had on earlier- pressurised, yet more elegant, form-fitting and modular, and lighter whilst offering protection.

They were literally moonwalking to get an interview, and as they would likely find their spot, and take a seat on the couch, faces lit up due to the lighting arrangement and facing out of the sun, they were getting an interview quite literally like no other. Alone, but with a figure they were used to strangely present. Aurora seemed to stand there as if it wasn't really a big deal. As they would take their seat, the interview felt fairly easy to run with..

---

"Nora, welcome to Delta Hyper, and welcome to the Moon. It's safe to say with your first time here, you must be having butterflies in your stomach? How are you feeling?" Aurora asked, the hologram coming through in the interviewee pilot's ear.

"Kais, welcome to the sofa. Layla certainly talks a lot about Luna, it seems like a home race to her and I bet you've heard no end of it! Now we're here, do you think she's right to hype it up so much?"

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

"Bea, great to have you here. With your fans out in force in Portugal, how do you feel at a race that they aren't able to physically attend here at Mare Austral?"

"Han, great to have you here on Delta Hyper, and welcome to our favourite couch of the year! With your talent on show over the last few races, do you think you and Cassie have what it takes to charge after Valkyrie, and do you think there's any edge you can find at Luna?"

---

The others sat there as the scene cut to the remaining lead pilots, most of their spacesuits matching their team colours, with various interpretations of the team liveries.

"It would be impossible not to appreciate this. Still makes me pinch myself!" Max replied, his energy carrying in the response to the question which felt rather obvious.

"Yep, it is....it is incredible. I mean, we're so far from home, I can't even see my house from here...." Harrison quipped, cutting to the next, a rather shit-stirring Astrid.

"Eh. It's alright. I've been before. Lacks atmosphere." Astrid dryly remarked, sticking out her tongue beneath her visor as she replied.

"Well, you heard the intro, I mean....what more can I say? It's incredible out here. My two favourite things together, and well, I can set a fierce lap here." Layla gave a smirk, like someone who was rather possessed by it all.

"Not if I have something to say about it. Should be on course to get back here with a good result, Luna is one of my favourites and I imagine it'll be fierce." Amy replied, a smirk forming on her face, the role of a gentle villain playing back, wanting to keep on her crown.

"Well, first African to race on the Moon. Not bad at all!" Kofi smirked, cutting into Dorian, who seemed back to his usual behaviour.

"It's magical. The handling, everything is totally different. Like Monaco but in Space, no?" Dorian giggled, as Cassie followed.

"I mean, it's glorious. We take it in one step at a time. But it's a cool circuit, and I am sure with some party tricks up my sleeve I can make the most out of it." The Portuguese-Scots pilot replied, cutting to Henry, who seemed actually quite excited.

"I mean, I've been a lot but it does never get old. Fitzroy does lot of logistics so naturally, I've been to the Moon more than most..." That intercut with the last pilot, Ava, who sat almost cross-legged even in a spacesuit, making it seem remarkably casual.

"It's a pretty amazing place. I think it suits my style of flying ships, and it's a treat from my previous piloting experience. My childhood self would be grinning ear to ear, so we are here to make the most of it!" Ava grinned, cracking a rare grin, very much satisfied with where she was.

---

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Alicia: “Paul what’s wrong?”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

---

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

---

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

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

---

---

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

---

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

---

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

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

---

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

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

---

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

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

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

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

---

8:00am

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

---

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

---

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

---

---

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

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

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

---

---

---

---

Portugal had been a struggle from the very start, with sharp, throbbing pains, and controls that just seemed off. 'Noisy signal over the neural link,' her race engineer had said, and that she should try not to mind it too much. So Layla didn’t give in, and kept at it with determination.

The Al-Saqr crew had done the same back at HQ since then. Their medical doctor had laid down the hammer: the overheating was getting too dangerous. There had to be another solution to the endless processing to wrangle and force the data into Layla's mind. Ceaselessly, they had tinkered on the interlinked A.I. systems that laid at the root of the neural link, made them explore their own optimal mapping. The adaptive neural limiter had become fully adaptive.

The migraines reached their apex then, like sandpaper grinding across her mind. But with every wasted simulator run, Layla pressured the system more. And in her wanting, the ship’s network of digital neural networks obliged, altering its linkages, expanding, searching, clawing, desperate to connect. Every run, Layla felt the knocking on her skull, the noise getting louder. And, like when she played with the old staticky radio’s in her childhood, she turned up the volume more, and more, and more, until eventually, she could hear the signal that was hidden in the noise. And as soon as she heard it, things… clicked in place… broke througȟ̴̪̀. She felt her mind, honed by being run through the grinder so many times, focus in on the new signal, accommodate it into itself.

The radio had been tuned, and Layla’s ship, finally, sang to her like a nightingale.

For the first time in months, the ice baths had become less necessary to deal with the overclocking of her systems, and even Kais had noticed the regained pep in her step, the familiar optimism in her voice, how her ship danced in their tests and simulations. But all good things come to an end̶̝̤͑͊… Every time her neural link's status indicator went from green to red when she plugged out of the ship’s systems, the disconnect felt more abrupt than usual. Normally, the simulated sensations were transposed on top of her existing senses, and disconnecting felt like taking off a layer of clothing or a set of holovision goggles. But now…?

Layla stared at her reflection in her ship, dragged her fingers through the vacant air around her, across the ship’s hull. It wasn't the same. It felt dull, like a limb having gone numb from the lack of blood, like missing space. Except it wasn't just a limb.

It had felt alive.

And Layla had felt alive with it.

---

The meeting room had fallen silent as the holo-screen projected a time-lapse of a brain's activity. “Look at that…” Layla said under her breath. The timeline neared current date, and Remi Tewe jumped to action, pointing out several brain areas that suddenly lit up like a Christmas tree. “There it is, look! Marked changes in several areas in the limbic system, mostly associated with pain signaling and certain autonomous body functions, motor coordination, motivation, those kinds of things,” he said. And Layla turned to Kais and said, her voice hushed, “good thing I have additional mods for that,” and Salma Nasri MD barely contained herself from rolling her eyes as she overheard, though Kais swore he heard a hint of doubt in Layla's voice. “But what's more,” the neural engineer continued, “some of Layla's neuronal changes seem to be directly correlated with changes in the ship's digital neural networks. It seems the two are in the process of rewiring themselves to become a better conduit for each other. That would explain the sudden leap in performance: a direct connection from Layla's mind into the ship's systems has developed.”

“And what about the reverse?” their doctor proposed. “Considering the laws regarding putting A.I. into people's brains, I assume you are familiar with the risks?” “Except that we're not replacing parts of Layla's brain with A.I. systems at all,” Remi replied, “we're simply allowing them to communicate. Any defaulting of specialized mental processes to the ship's A.I., and associated adaptations in the wetware -sorry Layla- are to be expected and quite natural. As natural as how you outsource some of your processing to your logs and apps. Does your smart-textbook control you too, doctor?”

“What about personality?” Layla asked out of the blue, and Kais' ears perked up. His conversation with Ava came back to mind, and that question -what people wouldn't give to extract the skills of someone like them... Layla continued her question. “If the ship's neural networks are adapting to mine, will they become so similar one day that my personality will also get encoded into them?”

“Well, some would say, personality is just an extension of the survival instinct, no?” And their doctor whispered under her breath 'How reductive,' but Remi continued his line of thought unfazed. “How sensitive one is to threats, the care for social inclusion, one's interests and specializations, all so as to maximally thrive in the world... And I do not believe the ship's A.I. is wired in that same way as we are. It has one very defined goal, and that goal is to race well, and to facilitate you in that. Perhaps its circuitry will come to align implicitly to the degree where it can predict what you might find useful in the moment, so as to better filter and optimize the data for the neural link. But all of this is still very philosophical. We're going into territory where... few people have gone before, have dared go before, so it's definitely something we'll monitor. We will keep Doctor Nasri very involved in the process.” He nodded towards the doctor, who returned a slow nod of her own that said oh, you better.

Then they went over Kais’ own scans for comparison, but these didn’t show any of the neural adaptation that they had found in Layla's. With so many mods and augmentations, Layla's mind simply seemed to be more open and receptive to the changes. And while Kais' adaptive neural link also seemed to have found a better alignment with his brain activity than before, as his migraines had similarly disappeared, there had been none of this 'repurposing' business in his brain, something which made Kais breathe a sigh of relief, and which Layla found a source of much amusement. “Must be that damn stubbornness of yours, huh?” she whispered as she patted him across the chest in jest.

And at the meeting's closing, Al-Saqr's Team Principal Omar Hayawi, who had stayed silent during most of the meeting, merely stroking his beard in the deepest depths of thought anyone had ever seen him, spoke up. “Needless to say, this is what our NDA's are made for. Keep this out of the public's ears. And keep me up to date. On every development. That is all.”

Then, slowly, but with an undeniable energy, the group left the meeting room, but Kais stayed behind with Layla, who started pacing back and forth. “I never thought we’d get there this fast, if I’m being honest,” she said, her voice tense, exasperated, on the edge of fear and excitement. Kais crossed his arms, and beckoned Nadia to come in as well. She had stayed behind, silent and hesitant, and seemed to have the exact same thoughts as him. “We need to talk,” Kais finally said, and Layla stopped in her tracks. “It’s about last race, about Amy, about the glitch,” and Layla's eyes narrowed with suspicion. “What about it?” Kais sighed, and steeled himself for how mad he was going to sound. “We think it wasn't just her ship's neural link that spiked last race. We think that was you, or rather your ship's A.I. that did it.” Layla blinked, her mouth opened, stumbling for the words. “I didn’t, that's absurd!”

“We’re not saying you did it on purpose,” Nadia quickly added, “We think your subconscious triggered... something in your systems, a spike, that propagated through the site's network. We went through the race telemetry and everything, we saw it, there seemed to be a direct link there, though we only found out 'cause we knew where to look, I suppose,” and Nadia looked at her feet, their going behind Layla's back still weighing on her conscience. Kais nodded, a pained look on his face. “We couldn't believe it at first either. But the connection between you and your ship has changed. There's no telling what that might mean. How... dangerous that might make you.” He said, shaking his head. “We can only hope the glitch has been solved with the upgrade, and that you have control over it now. But...” And Kais hesitated, thousands of possible threats racing through his mind. Making a better weapon out of you. “If there comes a time where you absolutely have to go there...” He paused. “Make it count.”

---

A week later, in a small isolated meeting space in the depths of Hamad International Spaceport's high-security corridors, Layla and a pair of the most highest-ups from her oldest tech partners came together to talk. The done-up suits, holo's or no, stuck out like a sore thumb here in this barebones space, little more than connected cuboids of geo-polymer cement with uncovered pipes and ventilation shafts, a sight far removed from the inspirational splendor of the public and office areas of the spaceport. Cold and sterile, it was the perfect place for a clandestine meeting with Cryo-Digital and the Lunaspace Engineering Company -and Layla's previous employer-, and there was a buzz in the air.

“What you’re describing, Ms. Al-Nadir,” the L.E.C. rep said, her voice modulated, clinical, and thick with a lunar accent, “a digital extraction of the human mind, a merging of mind and machine? It's nothing short of revolutionary. An actual mechanism for transferring a mental image into a machine and back? A digital representation of the mind, capable of being stably stored through even the most extreme conditions of space travel, then re-sleevable into programmable androids, or geno-mods? This could solve the human factor in extra-planetary colonization!”

“Not just colonization,” Layla continued, her fingers tapping the table in excitement. “Our continuity, in all its forms. Memory preservation for Alzheimer's patients, backups of brain areas, keeping alive the legacy of lost loved ones, mental extensions sharded into the cloud, bridging the cognitive degradation during cryo-sleep. This isn’t just some improvement, it opens the way to the athanasia of human consciousness itself.” She kept her voice steady, but her thoughts raced at hundreds of km per hour. The possibilities were unbelievable. But the risks...?

The Cryo-Digital representative leaned forward, his holographic avatar flickering slightly. “This research will require very careful management, but if Al-Saqr agrees to it, we would consider jointly funding an accelerated Phase Three pilot study. If we can understand how your mind interfaces with your ship’s digital intelligence, we could try to replicate it, continue it, adapt it.” “Al-Saqr might not approve of this,” Layla said, cautiously. “Not yet, anyway. We're still working things out ourselves, and the whole project is under a lot of scrutiny, I have management breathing down my neck nearly 24/7.” “We’re not looking for mere approval, Ms. Al-Nadir,” the L.E.C. rep said. “We’re asking for a partnership. Surely you understand the value of what this could mean, if we can make this a reality? But...” And the rep leaned back. “This is a risky business, and we would want more numbers, metrics... results, before committing.” And Layla felt the stakes for Luna got higher.

“And what about the... ethical considerations?” Layla asked, her mouth tightened.

The rep shrugged. “That will depend on who writes history.”

---

---

---

---

“Suit looking good on you, Kais,” Layla's voice called out over the comms in his helmet. Kais grunted an acknowledgment, but his mind was somewhere else, and dreading what came next. With the instructor's “3, 2, 1,” he involuntarily sucked in air as the weight on his shoulder suddenly lightened. The AG-tech in the micro-gravity training room had turned on, and he started floating as he had done in his ship so many times. This time, however, it was different. With no mag-strips or guardrails, his body was free to orient itself, as well as disorient itself, as it unfortunately turned out.

“Low and zero-gravity can be difficult to navigate for us humans, accustomed to Earth. There's no fixed reference point, no resistance, and every twitch carries through, so you can't brute force your way through it like you might in a swimming pool. You have to let yourself adapt to that, become comfortable in that.” And Kais nodded, but it didn't help him feel much more comfortable. It wasn’t exactly an instinct that came natural to him, not like his drive, want for control, and, well... brute forcefulness did. He looked at Layla effortlessly gliding through the air, cat-like. Once she made herself drift in towards Kais, called for “Hands!”, then grabbed him by them, spun him around as if in a dance, and let go, after which Layla regained control almost instantly, and Kais was left spinning and cursing through his instructor's instructions and Layla's laughter.

Yet, after some time, their instructor stopped the sim. “Doing great, you two. Next round of practice is in 15, go grab a drink, and then we'll look at how added mass changes your handling,” he said as the AG-pack settled them down with gravity. Kais felt the weight of the heavy-duty racing-suit come to sit on him again. And it didn’t take many more rounds of practice after that for the feeling of armor to bring back ways of carrying himself, ones he thought he had left behind. For a brief moment, the reflection in his visor caught him off-guard. He was surprised he looked older -the feeling might as well have been years ago. Preparing for a drop, for the unknown dangers that lay ahead. But the Luna race wasn’t a battlefield, he thought. Or rather, he hoped.

---

The memorial park was quiet at this time of day. The day’s sweat still lingered on him, but he wasn’t to go back to his accommodations, not quite yet. There was still work to be done. Raincoat’s hood up, privacy-glasses on, he wandered down the paths until he came at last to a set of four large holo-tablets. And on them scrolled names. Many, many names. A lot of places in the Union had memorial sites like this. For those who didn't make it through those times. The times of starvation, droughts, pandemics, natural disasters. And the Middle Eastern Water Wars. They were truly dreadful years. The world's population had steadily declined to close to four billion, half of what it used to be, give or take. And Kais could imagine only few people then would have remained unaffected when one of the four horsemen came knocking on their doors. Possibly one of him, Kais thought, and he felt the pit in his stomach grow deeper.

So, so many names.

But none of his, of course.

Behind him gravel cracked and a voice eerily similar to his own spoke up, and Kais immediately knew who it was. A small lisp betrayed the scar running across his face. It always did strike him as a bit theatrical, as if frag drones had a penchant for drama. Yes, I.O.N.-2-02. Who else could it have been…

“You’ve been busy, Z.” He spoke. “Been a long time, Inan.” Kais responded, then admitted, “didn’t think I’d ever see you again. Didn't think you'd answer my call.” “And yet here we are,” Inan replied, and asked, “Still trying to get away from it all?” Kais shrugged. “There’s nowhere else to go.” “Some people try to make peace with their past, Z.,” and Kais snickered in insult. “Shrink-speak for giving up, I know them all... How’s that worked out for you?” The man chuckled in return. Bullseye. “Been doing security gigs mostly. People stop bothering you when you're just a night-shifter who keeps his head down. It’s a peaceful life.” “What of the others?” “You know that yourself, Z. Don’t make me say it.” “Of the ones that remain?” “Laying low, mostly. Some bought off by organizations, criminal gangs, probably still some cells around waiting for the right moment,” Inan shrugged, “hard to tell, sometimes. Who can be trusted…”, and Kais thought back to Khaled, who had given him one name. He nodded. “Hard to tell who’s legit…”

“Inan?” A short moment of hesitation went by. “Have you ever wondered about what it all was for? Fighting a fight we were never going to win?” “What’s all this about, Z.?” “I have gotten a drop. Information, about us. What they did to us. Not everything makes sense yet. Some of it is encrypted, yet to be analyzed, corrupted, proprietary formats. I need some trusted eyes to dig into it. And to keep it safe, if something were to… happen to me.” “Hmm…” Inan said, crossing his arms. “I bet there're a lot of people in the market for some of this. And I always did dream about owning a yacht. What makes you think I won’t turn this into my ticket out of all... this?” And he gestured to the tablets. “Because if you sell out, you’ll be selling out more than just me.” Kais said, his gaze fixed, then turned his eyes towards the names as well. “You reckon our names'll ever get mentioned as anything more than a dark page in the history books?”

Then Inan was silent. “The more you try to bury it, the more it all just keep coming back to haunt you, huh…?” He sighed. “You ever wonder if there's anything good on the other end of questions like this?” And Kais said “Every damned day. But wondering doesn’t get you anywhere. Neither does dreaming. Only fighting for it does.” He turned towards his counterpart, took his shoulder, then his neck, and slid the data shard into his rudimentary neural connector. “Stay still. Let the diagnostics run.” The sweep came back clean, no suspicious security or monitoring detected, and the biometrically-sandboxed data environment copied itself over onto the neural stack’s storage. Then, eyes hardened.

“You up for one final mission?”

“Always.”

---

The energy of the crowd was electric. For the obvious lack of real-life stands and fan areas at Luna, instead Al-Saqr's ticketed fans had been invited to the spaceplane's takeoff. VR and holovision can take you quite a way, but for a fan-favorite such as Luna, Al-Saqr had prepared a worthy send-off. Stands of merchandise from their sponsors kept the crowd busy before the main event: from Layla's Cryo-Digital (offering a highly rudimentary neuro-vid as a demo), and Silver Line Cybernetics (showing off their upscale synthetic skincare products and cybernetics that were as much art and jewelry as they were functional), to Kais' Nomad Nutrition (at which Kais made sure to sip his favorite artificial strawberry-flavored nutri-paste and send a cheers at the cameras), and Jackals & Co. (the apparel brand long-since bought-up by ASSC, known for being so edgy it went far beyond self-aware irony at this point). Holo-projectors showed the ultra-ultra-luxury hover-yachts of Durrat Gliders Celestial against the sunset backdrop, and even Monster Stims had decided to join the party, after the post-Tokyo viral social media memeage.

In that crowd, behind the security fences they saw Nadia wave at them, and the two made their way up to her. As soon as they were in range, Nadia reached out. First to Layla, whom she hugged with an impatient tremble to her frame, and wished “good luck, and look after yourselves!” And then she turned to Kais, whom, to some of his shock, she hugged as well, and wished “good luck, and look after yourselves!” before waving goodbye, and turning back to talking and laughing with her friends -exchanging interested glances- that she had invited to the event.

Layla and Kais walked on and made their way through the clamor of the crowd, onto the bus that took them and their skeleton crew of pit and race engineers to the runway, then to the small area that had been marked private amongst the last-minute check-ups, fueling and loading, just before the embarking ramp, where Layla had invited her parents to, and she excused herself to join them.


There, Layla and her parents stood with each other, and the three spoke in soft, yet short sentences for a while. Then the mood became sombre and her mother, with a hesitant tremble, caressed her face and placed her hand on Layla’s heart, artificial though it was. And when the words she seemed to struggled for came, Layla stopped her, and beckoned Kais to come closer too. He stepped up to them, staying a bit off, but nodded a greeting, and her mother continued. Her eyes closed, solemn, but Kais heard a shimmer in her voice.

“Allah, Greatest and Most High, we ask for Your mercy and protection.
Be to us a faithful companion in every step we take.
Send us a path from Your heavenly light,
And send us peace wherever we may go.
A way out from every hardship,
A light from every darkness.
And grant us goodness in this life,
And goodness Hereafter,
And give us refuge from the torment of the Fire.
Ameen, O Most Merciful of the merciful.”

And Layla shone gold in that setting sun. But the stars beckoned, and so they went, with one last wave to all they knew. The H2 engines fired before long, the spaceplane shook with tremendous controlled violence… and they were off.

The holovision montage would have shown them embark, with Layla issuing a pat on the ship's hull for good luck. Click into their seats. Being checked once, twice, three times over by the plane’s stewards, with Kais brushing off the last one. Then getting kicked back by the G forces before, finally, the G forces… went away, and the night sky was all there was. And on the ground, people cheered, and people cried.

But the reality was that of silence and of mundane chatter. About the spaceplane rolling this or that many degrees, about the mist plumes they made behind them, and about racing tactics. Anything to distract themselves from what they were getting themselves into, if only for a short while.

“I never told you where my last name comes from did I? The people you saw just now? They’re my fosters, of sorts. My biologicals didn't make it through the end of the Water Wars, and my nation brought me up, like so many others I guess. Got my placement with Amina and Mohamad, and they gifted it to me: al-Nadir, ‘precious and dear’. I rarely tell people this, very few know. But now so do you.”

Kais felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up, and said “I’m sorry, Layla,” but Layla cut him off before he could say anything else. “No need to apologize, Kais, I don’t blame you, not anymore. And I don’t think they’re gone, not really. They’re still out there, in memory, in the water we drink, in the sands of Wadi Rum.” She said, turning to face him. “And so will we be, someday. Or… maybe…” And her gaze went to the deep, speckled, dark.

“There’s no going back, Kais. Only forwards. Ever onwards.”

And Layla turned to him, and smiled. “The future is bright!”

---

---

“Kais, welcome to the sofa.”

The bright yellow couch stood out against the monochrome gray and black, with camera equipment so specialized it would’ve made even Kubrick blush. Kais had stumbled his way up to it, and nearly bounced past it as gravity, what little there was here, pulled him down at its weird, different rate. No matter how much he had prepared at Hamad Spaceport, it probably hadn’t been enough.

“Thanks, Aurora. It’s been an… experience.”

“Layla certainly talks a lot about Luna, it seems like a home race to her and I bet you've heard no end of it! Now we're here, do you think she's right to hype it up so much?”

“We’ve had our disagreements over it,” Kais started. “Layla’s passionate about it, for sure, she’s been talking about this place from the moment I joined Al-Saqr. To her, Luna’s not just a race. It’s the unknown, a proving ground, a triumph. I say it’s [CENSORED] cold here, it’s harsh, and it's unforgiving.” He said. “And while I like a challenge as much as the next one up, I'm made more for the... down to earth, I suppose.” He added.

“But man, you get through all this…? You've earned your stars.” And his throat closed up and quickly turned to the pale blue dot on the horizon, stretched out one of his arms, his fingers splayed like a picture frame, and scoped it up - looked about a fingernail in size from here. “What a way we’ve come, huh?”

---