28th of May
Victoria Light closes her mouth over the last bit of date pie, gazing intently at a single table a few metres away or, more specifically, at its seat’s occupant (since both are sitting at one of the individual tables that sit around the quieter outside of Nexus Racing’s canteen). Wiping her hand over her mouth - and then licking her forefinger - she picks up her tray and wanders with it over to the hatch. Briefly, she thanks the man who comes to take it for the meal, an entirely genuine sentiment, and accompanies it with a smile.
The smile is fake. After all, the memories still stand at the back of her mind, exerting their sorrowful gravity with constant, overpowering weight.
The three of them stand in their room, gazing with horror at the scene displayed on their monitors. Jean Mercer-Daly’s Chase Cutter lies shattered and aflame at the Turn of the Century, millions of coins of machinery rent asunder in a moment. Ambulances’ flashing blue lights cast their radiance upon the Esmerelian’s broken form as he is lifted from the wreck, his left arm twisted beyond natural motion.
Tiffany begins to sob; Alex goes to hug her, moving almost unconsciously in his shock, and she holds to him desperately. Her keening is the most painful, piercing sound that Victoria has ever heard.
…
You could have prevented this. You all knew what was happening in that race - and you were all too blind to know what that might mean. You most of all - you’re meant to be their leader! Instead, you robbed a man of half his limbs and almost committed manslaughter! That’s your fault! Your faul-
Slam.
Victoria gasps for breath as she closes the door into her room behind her - hard. She closes her eyes, putting her hand to her head, and works to force her frantic intakes of air to become steady, controlled. In - 1 Imagination - out - 2 Imagination - in - 3 Imagination -
Even as she does so, she walks over to her bedside and flops, back landing upon her bed. Too mentally exhausted to grasp fitfully for her headphones, she instead brings one arm across to swipe at her keyboard. Her playlist fires up.
The music is tinny, underwhelming. Rather than raising her drive and emotion with it as it usually does, it now clashes. The discordance, for once, is unbearable.
Victoria rubs her forehead, then runs her hand through her flaxen hair. No headway made yet, despite Alex’s efforts. Imagination… I can’t keep doing this to myself, for my own sake. Everyone else’s, too. I need a distraction. She chuckles somewhat sardonically at that thought; she’s had a specific distraction in mind for a little while now.
If she can’t solve her own problems, why not help with someone else’s?
A moment brings her to Ryker’s room, just down the corridor. She knocks; the result is a vaguely surprised and curious but simultaneously tired, “Come in?” Upon opening it, Ryker’s expression is easy to read: it matches those same qualities exactly. “Ah… Victoria? Good to see you, I guess, but - umm - why are you here?”
Victoria breathes, then looks up. “I just thought you might want to chat. That’s all.”
Strovoz International Airport, Lapiz Point, Vespucci, Esmerel
1st of August
Timothy Guard looks around the inside of Esmerel’s principal airport - or, more specifically, of its concourse - admiring the architecture. It certainly shows that Esmerel is one of the few nations that can match us for technological development.
They do not have Imagination, of course. He smirks to himself. There is that.
He glances up at the arrivals board, looking to the incoming flight from Alexander Arrios. A good name. ‘First City’ and so on is practical, of course, Guard considers, but actual names are… Pleasant. They add charm.
And so he waits - and turns to his left. “Not so much longer now,” he affirms; “her flight is due to land within the next minutes. “Your ‘a little while’ should be at an end soon.”
Valen Song grins, nodding. “Fantastic. Ah, but it’ll be good to see Rebecca again. We work well together.”
Vankkavalta International Airport, Vankkavalta, Sånkasus Maakunta, Aboveland
2nd of August
From: nrcomms@nexusracingwgpc.nim
To: e.pekka@talvelasport.co.ab
We are most grateful for your acceptance of our offer! Transportation has been arranged from Vankkavalta International Airport to our headquarters at Crossbay Circuit, where there will be fully-catered accommodation available for you throughout the season should you wish to utilise it, via the Nimban Terrarail subway system on the 2nd of August; we will send a member of our team to meet you.
Karl Rain, Nexus Racing Head of Communications and Public Relations
The airport terminal at Vankkavalta is of typical Nordic design, modern and abstract in shape and constructed of slate-grey stone and glass; the inside is spacious, the air warm, crisp and easy on the lungs.
Ryker Lane, wearing his RMEO exosuit underneath a navy blue jumper and jeans, accompanied by sash that he had taken to wearing on the right shoulder during WGPC 16, a green one this time, notices all of these things - a noteworthy event in itself. Looking up from the printed copy of the letter, he gazes around the lobby of the building to take it in. It… It does make for a nice change from our own construction. Lots of light colours in ours. This is…
He searches for the word.
Ah…
Atmospheric. Yes. That.
He looks around. Hopefully they’ll be here soon. Hopefully Terho will be here; he’ll be nice to see. If it’s just Janne, though, that’ll be good too. Things to learn. On both sides.
After a moment of stillness, he jumps up and down a few times, trying to get some energy into his system. Waiting - even wallowing - in inactivity will do nothing for him, after all.
