Faster Than Angels

[Ace3000]

Uploading a day early cause stuff busy tomorrow

The referenced album title of Part 26.2 was Human After All by Daft Punk.

[s2_19.0: Part 27.0] Dome 0095

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<22120627>

Saturday, June 27th, 2212... Earth time.

Cydonia Hotel, Albatross, Dome 0095, Mars

"What the hell do you mean, you'd much rather race pure?!" A visibly irritated man retorted at the 18-year old girl in front of him.

Crinale's two pilots, Leon Turner and Lucia Scarlatti, were having yet another argument. While they were usually good friends, and they had many arguments over their time as pilots, this one was a rather bad fight. Once again, it pertained to Lucia's lack of violence in her racing style during her most recent trial in the simulator.

"God, are you f*cking retarded?! Let me say it again: F*ck this sh*tty violence bullsh*t. I'd much rather use my own racing style, one that lets me have fun, one that I know I can win by using."

"That's great and all, but remember who you're racing for."

"Oh my F*CKING GOD WHY. How many times do I have to say it before it enters your thick skull into your retarded brain?! I don't care about Crinale's sh*tty racing style! I race to win, not to kill."

"Who said anything about killing?"

"Killing, eliminating, who gives a flying f*ck?! It's all the same to me and I couldn't give any less of a f*ck!"

"Is that so?! Well, you could always quit? Oh, but then Viktor will probably make sure you won't race again. You'd have to go back to your loving parents."

"F*CK. OFF!" She yelled, "MY PARENTS NEVER LOVED ME! Can you say that people who couldn't accept who I am, a prodigy that was born to race, truly f*cking love me?! HAH! I DON'T F*CKING THINK SO. Those assholes tried to force their sh*tty religion down my throat, despite my countless protests! I am a woman of science, YOUR HORRID GOD DOES NOT EXIST."

"Uh-"

"NO! F*CK YOU! I'M OUT." She cut Leon off. "You're starting to become like my god damn parents. I'll race however I f*cking want. THIS IS MY F*CKING LIFE, D*CKHOLE."

With that, she stormed out of the hotel and started to roam around the small, shanty town ouside of the dome the hotel was in. She sighed, and started to curse everyone and everything under her breath, until she stopped outside a building, looking at it and the sign emblazoned upon it.

Spiegel's

"...wait, is that...?"

The reason she stopped to look at the building was a simple reason: She swore she could hear metal playing in the bar.

"...F*ck it, I could do with a drink." She admitted, stepping inside. Metal was playing rather loudly in the bar, but that was fine for her. Looking around, the only person in the bar was a rather well built blonde haired man, who was relaxing, reading a book.

"U-um... am I supposed to be here at this time? Why are you the only one in here?" She asked, not recognising the man.

He moved the book away from his view, placing a finger between the pages he was on. He recognised her almost at once. "Ah... Lucia Scarlatti, prodigious Lead Pilot of Crinale International. It's fine to be here. While the bar is closed at noon, I know the owner quite well, and I come here periodically to read."

"Okay... so, um... mind if I get a drink? Or would I have to go elsewhere?"

"Nah, it's fine, I can get you something." He stuck a bookmark in the book and started walking to the bar.

"If you don't mind me asking, you look familiar..." She started.

The man turned around and held out his hand. "Halvred Erikson, 2nd pilot for Syncline R/I. Call me Hal."

"Ah, I thought so." She replied, shaking his hand.

Hal then walked around the bar, placing both hands on it and leaning on it. "Alright, pick your poison."

"If you think I want those sh*tty girly alcopops, you can f*ck right off. Rum and coke."

"Ooh, nice choice."

"What do you recommend for the rum?"

"Recommend?!" He scoffed, "I mean, I know this place looks posh, but really, we all prefer to go with the good Captain."

Lucia stood there, mouth agape in disbelief. "...D-did you just... God, someone who knows a good drink. Please, hit me up with the Captain!"

"Heh, sure thing." He said, getting up.

A short time later, Hal had whipped up her drink, and passed it to her, getting a second glass for himself.

"So, what brings you here?"

"[sigh], you don't want to know. It'd ruin this stupid f*cking image everyone seems to have of me just because I'm a pilot for Crinale."

"Tell me, I know that people can have personalities that are different to their racing styles."

"You sure?"

"Hey, you're at a bar, don't people let out their life stories here?" He joked.

"Hah! Oh, fine. Basically, Leon, the second pilot, is getting on my case just because I don't like to use this overly-violent racing style that's being forced on me."

"Leon... Turner?"

"Yeah."

"Ah, I was raised by his brother... although, telling him about Leon won't change him much, from what I heard about Leon from his brother."

"Ehh, fair enough. I mean, why does Crinale need to do this sh*tty weapon focused battles anyway? It'd just be easier to use the high power of the craft to get quick times and win through that! I can win through perfect runs, by taking Crinale's other technologies to it's limits, not just their stupid weapon tech."

"That's a bit of an oversimplification of battles in racing. If it was so easy to win without weapons, no one would use them. Yet many pilots get so caught up in trying to get their kill that they end up holding themselves back to take out an insignificant target in last place. It's more of a game of chess then it is a mindless shoo-"

"Yeah, yeah, that's great, is that why you haven't got first place in a race yet?"

"Haven't meant a lip like that in a while," Hal chuckled, mostly to himself, "We've had top five placement in every race for both pilots. Maybe we haven't had that magical lucky day, that still makes us the most consistent team of the season."

"I mean, you could get last place in every race and earn that title. Still doesn't mean you'll win."

"In our backyard? I know every curve of that track, you know."

"...Are you challenging me?"

"I'd like to think we crossed that line quite a bit ago. Besides, there's something I've been wanting for a time, it'd be nice to have it for free."

"Ahahaha! A bet? Against me, a f*cking prodigy?! ...The stakes?"

Hal grabbed a bottle from the top shelf, "This red wine, can't get it on Earth, interplanetary shipping comes with too many complications. I bought a glass of this a few months ago, just to see if it was worth it. It caused me to go sober for a week, any other drink was urine in comparison."

"...you mean that if I lose...?"

"You need to buy the wine. Full cost."

"God damn... that's crazy! I'm in."

Hal blinked at how quickly she agreed. "Uh, I wasn't expecting you to accept so easily."

"Yes, well, we both have an advantage. You have the advantage of the home course and I have the racing skills!"

"That's a good point, I'm sure you'll get at least, ohh... tenth?"

"Sure, sure, just pay for the damn wine now, loser." She joked back, having the most fun time of her life in a long time.

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I'd like you to take note of the position he mentioned, while not that important, it's just something for a later part, that I changed because it was quite close to what he said.