Tangled Currents - DES, Stormy Waters subthread Options

[adamu]

Tuesday, 19 November, 2075, 1400; The Poppy Field, Bainbridge Island

DES was barely through the door of the shop before it's blind proprietor had a package on the counter for him. "There you go, DES," she said with a bright smile, red eyes complementing her blond pony tail nicely, but purple-striped T-shirt an abomination over denim with an orange tie-dye base. He didn't need to check the bag - he'd come in for some materials for his minion rituals, and he had no doubt that was what she'd provided.

It was pouring down rain, he was dripping, and she was smiling. "I love this weather," she said.

[DireRadiant]

Tuesday, 19 November, 2075, 1402; The Poppy Field, Bainbridge Island

In a world far away and ever present cerulean moods deepened and cascaded as a whirling zephyr acknowledged the twin spots of fire. It settled on the threshold and unfurled tendrils of aqua from DES as he entered the domain of death and fire. Wind coming close to Fire makes it burn brighter.

DES smile shone, even from behind his moisture covered aviator shades. Despite his peaked cap the rain had soaked DES thoroughly. "Then you live in the right part of the world." His smile faded and he continued in a reserved tone, "I went to the island you suggested and even with the Wind to guide me I was not able to find any Restoration Cap. I found tracks of a bear walking on two legs. Someone came before me."

The young woman frowned.

In a world out of sight and in your mind cerulean shifted to voilet as a whirling zephyr slid away. Twin flames shifted orange. Raging Fire can even consume the Wind that feeds it.

DES took a breath and spoke quickly, "Where can The Flying Tigress take you?"

Tuesday, 19 November, 2075, 1402; Manzinita Bay, Bainbridge Island

In a world both here and there a pale green eye spun lazily as it bobbed out of rythm with the waves. It Watched though there was nothing new to see.

In decision space a process started. Idle resources allocated and consumed and discarded by a decision tree. The process ended, but not before setting itself to awake again. The Flying Tigress slept, sensing but not aware of the rain and waves.

[adamu]

Tuesday, 19 November, 2075, 1404; The Poppy Field, Bainbridge Island

"Where couldn't it take me?" she laughed. "But I'm everywhere I need to be right now. Not sure you are, though..."

And a Sony Angel chirped an incoming text, Bouncing Bobbi's tone. DES didn't want to be rude, but Jill had already made herself busy elsewhere.

<<Crew up on Kiska needs some parts pronto. Meet me at usual pick up spot in three hours - I'll be there to talk - possibly another job on the way back. BB>>

DES considered. Whoever was on Kiska had some reason they couldn't just order what they needed through legit channels and wait for a much quicker and cheaper drone delivery.

Jill interrupted his thoughts. "Did I say how much I loved this rain? Sunlight's no good for me lately. It's when those black clouds part, DES, when those rays suddenly shine through, when you're so tempted to feel good...that's when you know they're all there for your blood."

[DireRadiant]

Tuesday, 19 November, 2075, 1407; The Poppy Field, Bainbridge Island

"that's when you know they're all there for your blood."

DES knew well the feeling. Memories of dark days just before he left the Green Valley Salish surfaced in his mind. Everyone he knew and ever knew, his own blood against him. Calling for his own blood. But that was the past. Red Eye Jill might know his past, but when she spoke like this it meant the future. More hardship for himself. A warning to always be on his guard.

"I must go. Tell me where I seek what you need and I will try there next. Speak to the Wind when it comes to you."

In a world warm and never warming violet burnt to brown and smoked glass shifted towards the door, sensing escape from the closed space. Drawing the attention of the fires might lock it here till it was consumed. Worry tinged it red as it pondered returning alone to confront the fires.


Tuesday, 19 November, 2075, 1406; Manzinita Bay, Bainbridge Island

Decision space awoke, a code checked after it was received, and a long series of commands issued. The Flying Tigress awoke and started preparations.

Tuesday, 19 November, 2075, 1410; The Poppy Field, Bainbridge Island

DES stepped out the door and gathered his will and whispered his command, "Fair winds carry me." DES started walking, the way to The Flying Tigress quickly whisking by as he walked across the island. DES wondered about Kiska and what he would be bringing there. It would be cold and dark, but not as cold as it could be, nor as dark as he had seen. DES would ask Bobbi when they met, meanwhile he could plan the flight and the preparations and path to follow.

[adamu]

Tuesday, 19 November, 2075, 1700; Pepe's Playland, Kong-Walmart Parking Annex, North Beach, Seattle

Pepe's roamed around various disused lots throughout the warm months, but in the winter scraped out a cold existence in the disused overflow parking lot of the North Beach Kong Walmart. DES was never sure how they made the rent - maybe it was some sort of rainy-month symbiosis, with the general merchandiser and the rusty amusement park attracting customers for each other. Half the rides were shut down, and the other half had staff splitting time between several, sleepily watching for the stray family or pack of youths bored enough to approach.

Bouncing Bobbi was their best customer. She liked the trampolines, of course, and she bounded up and down as she talked to DES through the surrounding mesh. The way certain parts of her moved with a life of their own, he wondered how it was not painful. She'd already given him the access code and door number for the self-storage park she regularly used, just half a klick up the shoreline. That was the two crates of T-bird components he'd be ferrying north to frigid Kiska. Little inlet on the north coast - supposedly nothing there, but she assured him there was a small smugglers' way station there, hidden from satellite views in tunnels used by the Japanese in their occupation of the island. DES figured it was worth the trip just to know about the place, but of course she'd be paying as well.

But all of this could have been done over the commlink.

"You'll find a girl up there. Stranded there with the T-bird crew. She wants to get to Seattle yesterday, something urgent. Won't wait for the T-bird, but won't take just any ride. She wants someone reliable she can trust to get her into the 'Plex on the down low. But you'll want to talk to her yourself."

DES looked the question, catching her eye in mid-bounce.

"She's mobbed up pretty good. Vor, I think, but she's tangled up somehow with the yaks and the Seoulpas too - at least. Apparently it's pretty complicated, and her backtrail may not be exactly sterile. Thought I'd make it worth your while to go up with the T-bird parts, then if you want to meet her you can get a feel for whether it's a risk you want to take. She goes by D-Pop."

[DireRadiant]

Tuesday, 19 November, 2075, 1710; Pepe's Playland, Kong-Walmart Parking Annex, North Beach, Seattle

In a world bouncing and never bounced yellow shifted red shifted lemon shifted brick shifted canary shifted cardinal shifted saffron in endless shades as they looped and orbited endlessly up and down and up and down and up and down until the girl was mentioned. Umber clouds tinged copper gathered and towered in a thunderhead as concentration ... concentrated . After all what else would concentration do? Especially when something dangerous portended. Perhaps that was what the "D" in D-Pop meant?


DES had given his thanks to Bobbi, appreciating the courtesy, yet well aware Bobbi knew he would not refuse the task as long as he knew the risks and could prepare for them. He'd rented an autopiloted hauler and as soon as he was on the way to the U Self Stor he jacked in and subscribed to The Citadel long enough to ping player XXSmoothAsXX, Silks User Name, with a standard background check request on D-Pop. DES appreciated the in-game guild app as a cover, but wasn't sure how entering terms such as Organized Crime, Seoul Pa, Yakuza, and Vor and Vory fit in with the current game memes of sugar pop vampires. DES figured D-Pop wasn't going to be accepted into the Guild. He also hoped his in-game guild fee payments weren't entirely going to pay for Silks matrix gaming.


Tuesday, 19 November, 2075, 1715; U SELF STOR , North Beach, Seattle

DES jacked out of the game as soon as the autohauler arrived at the U Self Stor and directed the hauler and winches to grab the crates. He took this first chance to check the wieght and load balance and sent the data estimates to the Flying Tigress. DES also took this time to review the preliminary flight plan as the aotuhauler loaded itself. Kiska was a no go zone as far as any official flight so DES filed a standard pleasure flight/cruise under his current SIN and booked a standard contract with mission control for the Kiska portion of his flight. It was close enough to his old stomping grounds DES was fairly certain he had been to some of the neighboring islands before. DES knew most of them were considered no go and restricted areas. As much for ecological and historical reasons as contested territorial ones. All the more reason DES wanted to have mission control, Ice Station Zebra, monitoring the air and sea space around Kiska.

In decision space triggers initiated movement. Warmth flooded engines, fluids pressurized, gasses vented, charges flared and inertia was overcome and motion vectors changed. The Flying Tigress started moving to the calculated rendezvous to load the cargo.

[adamu]

Tuesday, 19 November, 2075, 1759; U SELF STOR , North Beach, Seattle

The load wasn't excessively large, and went smoothly. By the time it was done, there was a ping back from the Citadel host contact. It wasn't a whole lot more than Bobbi had provided, but every little helped. Vor association, but not Vor. No picture or other identifying data available, which in itself implied she been erased by someone with juice. And then the message got vague with regard to the japanese and Koreans. Silk wouldn't be specific other than to say there was "a sense of significance, that it should be looked into further."

Then Silk actually called. <<Listen, I know that sounds thin, but my source's ambiguity is matched only by its accuracy. There's something there with the yaks and the seoulpas that bears watching. Let me know if you want my help with that.>>

[DireRadiant]

Tuesday, 19 November, 2075, 1836; Shilshole Bay Marina , Sunset Hill, Seattle

<<... There's something there with the yaks and the seoulpas that bears watching. Let me know if you want my help with that.>>

DES had given his sincere thanks to Silk, but had declined any immediate assistance. It was enough to know there were heavy interests involved. D-Pop was a potential client and this information gave DES enough to determine a sense of the client when he met her and she made her offer. DES knew who he would call if he needed some information before landing in Seattle.

DES finished loading The Flying Tigress and kicked loose from the dock. He finished the physical checks while The Flying Tigress eased herself into the Sound. No matter what the sensor lights said, or how it felt when Jumped IN, nothing was better than kicking the tires to make sure they had locked themselves in place. The same went for the flaps and Ailerons and how mobile they are. Satisfied with the last inspection, Des entered the cockpit, dogged the doors and strapped in. Then he jacked in and plugged himself in.

DES immediately felt the drag under his outer pontoons and main hull, and felt the strain as his props began clawing through the air, dragging himself into the sky. A long straining drag through the waves and finally a kick loose into the air set DES away and he began soaring into the sky.

<<@Mission Control: The Flying Tigress is in the air.>>

[adamu]

Wednesday, 20 November, 2075, 0311; Wolf Point, Kiska Island, Athabaskan Council

And that was the last he heard from Mission Control. But then he didn't hear from anyone else either, which of course was the point. Between Puget Sound and Kiska there was nothing but frigid winter North Pacific waters until you hit the bow of the Aleutians, and DES's contacts had plotted his course well south of those, angling sharply northwest just in time to hit the Rat Islands. His destination was an inlet on the south side of Wolf Point, right at the base of the northwest face of Kiska Volcano.

No one hailed him on approach. The idea being that there was no one there. The pontoons on the Flying Tigress shivered as they brushed the icy wavecaps and finally eased her weight onto the supporting mass of frigid water. There was a strong wind blowing in across the frozen north face of the mountain, with snow flurries reducing visibility. DES could have been the only person within a hundred miles, except when he flashed a pre-arranged code he was flashed back immediately from a point on the shore, indicating where he should bring his cargo.

[DireRadiant]

Wednesday, 20 November, 2075, 0325; Wolf Point, Kiska Island, Athabaskan Council

DES jumped out and unjacked himself. The Flying Tigress could handle herself well enough on an initial approach. DES would jump back in to do any beaching or docking needed. DES performed the landing check, paying special attention to the bilge pumps and various level and buoyancy controls followed by physical hull integrity checks. Once satisfied The Flying Tigress could stay on the water, DES initiated The Drop Bear's warm up and set the drone into a hot idle.

The Flying Tigress settled into a slow idle approach and DES gathered his will and spoke, "Night Wind, show me what the Wind sees."

In a world cold and not colder, Indigo and Ice floes slurried against Puce and Scarlet flows.

DES struggled to make any sense of it. A shift in focus eliminated the conflicting synesthesiatic sensations but all that remained were Dark, Wet and Cold. DES gathered his Will and spoke again, "Thank you Night Wind. Tell me how many await?" DES withdrew his attention from the Spirit world and moved back to the cockpit seat and plugged himself back in for the final few meters. DES jacked in reflecting that he hadn't really needed Night Wind to get the sensations of being Cold, Dark and Wet.

DES spun himself/The Flying Tigress around and reversed into an unloading position before dropping a couple wheels to lock himself into a stable position. Jumping out and unplugging again DES went to see what the next step of journey would be.

[adamu]

Wednesday, 20 November, 2075, 0329; Wolf Point, Kiska Island, Athabaskan Council

It was very cold.

Three men in thick arctic gear and a heavy-duty wheeled conveyance drone with a loading arm emerged from nowhere. There must have been s door somewhere in the rocks surrounding the bare-bones wharf.

Two moved the drone towards the Flying Tigress's loading hatch, but at first made no move farther. The third, face covered in a scarf and goggles, walked up to DES. There would have been no point in offering his hand - the glove was too thick to get a grip on unless you were a troll. But his voice was pitched to be easily heard over the wind and through the muffler. "I'm your buyer, those two are local crew. Got a credstick in my pocket, but with your okay we'll need to get the stuff inside for me to inspect and take receipt." He went on to state the exact sum agreed upon, being sure to mention that he'd done the negotiation with Bouncing Bobbi.

Satisfied with the bonafides, DES let the offload go forward, and as they followed the drone into the rock face, the man spoke further, "Don't know your schedule, but they sell fuel here at a reasonable cost, and can have you back in the air as soon as thirty if you wish. Or you can stay - all the comforts of home for a price."

It was not the first smuggler way-station DES had stayed in, but he knew the drill. Basically everything you could find at a large truck stop, only secret, everyone was armed, and the prices were triple.

[DireRadiant]

Wednesday, 20 November, 2075, 0334; Wolf Point, Kiska Island, Athabaskan Council

"Thank you. Refuel and whatever is hot to drink."

DES knew stopping would mean hours of extra delay and expense as well. Engines and systems either completely drained or running at a hot idle if you needed to leave quickly, or hours of slow highly specialized warming up just so you could start an engine without blowing bits off of it.

"I am deadheading back, you got anything heading the other way it'll be cheap."

[adamu]

Wednesday, 20 November, 2075, 0336; Wolf Point, Kiska Island, Athabaskan Council

The man had taken his heavy gloves off and opened the crate, making a cursory inspection as DES spoke. Turning to face the pilot, he nodded at the two locals and handed DES the credstick.

"Well, we had a passenger, and she doesn't want to wait for our repairs. Headed back your way, to Seattle. Picky one though - you'll have to talk to her. Canteen's that way - your warm cuppa's in there, and so's she."

DES started to ask something, but the man just smiled - "You'll know which one she is."

Making his way down the century old stone corridor, DES followed the smell of frying food and soykaf. The canteen was well lit and warm. About a dozen people were there, three of them women. One was on the kitchen side of the food counter, dolloping powdered eggs and soysage onto trays when necessary, but mostly sitting on her fat ass smoking. One was a dwarf, face greasy like her coveralls, chair back against a wall, dozing. And one had tall black leather boots with stiletto heels up on her table, the boots sheathing endless slender legs in painted-on denim, topped by an excessively tight T-shirt and heavy armor jacket studded with metal rivets. The jacket hung open to reveal a jackass rig, an Ares Predator slung under her left arm, spare clips balancing the set-up under her right armpit. Her black hair was cropped to about an inch, with dark purple highights, and her eye make-up was heavy but not quite goth. A diamond glittered in the light on her lip ring.

[DireRadiant]

Wednesday, 20 November, 2075, 0338; Wolf Point, Kiska Island, Athabaskan Council

It took no time at all to fill two cups out of the SoyKaf dispensor. What did take a few moments more was arranging the table DES had chosen. Arranging a second chair, angled invitingly, and seating himself. Carefully so both DES and the woman would be aware she was in his vision, but not so rude as directly confronting. Two cups sitting centrally, where anyone could take one if they sat down. DES was seated and looked once around the room marking where everyone was, and then sat back and relaxed. He left the soykaf steaming invitingly in the table center. For many the long flight might have been exhausting and mentally draining, but for DES it was relaxing. In fact here, underground, forced to wait was the hardest part. He might not have come in at all if Bouncing Bobbi and even Silk hadn't mentioned there was something interesting. So DES had entered this confined place and had made a welcoming circle to see what would come his way. As a final touch he took off his Seattle Screamers cap, filled it with his mirror shades, and placed them on the table in front of him.

[adamu]

Wednesday, 20 November, 2075, 0345; Wolf Point, Kiska Island, Athabaskan Council

DES is pretty sure the woman spotted his invitation right away. He's half sure, in fact, that she marked him when he walked into the room.

But she gives it a cool five minutes before approaching him, during which time a number of additional people trickle into the room, making the cramped space a lot more crowded. "Waiting for someone?" she asks, nodding at the extra cup. Her voice has a clear but not cartoonish Russian lilt to it.

[DireRadiant]

Wednesday, 20 November, 2075, 0346; Wolf Point, Kiska Island, Athabaskan Council

DES nodded, then inclined his head at the chair."I have made my delivery here. The Flying Tigress is empty for my return to Seattle. When I offered cargo space I was told there may be a passenger."

"If you are interested I am leaving in 15 minutes. Whether or not you come with me to Seattle please join me for 'kaf."

DES waited for the woman to make her choice, for the 'kaf, for the ride, for the company.

[adamu]

Wednesday, 20 November, 2075, 0347; Wolf Point, Kiska Island, Athabaskan Council

It was clearly meal time in the schedule of this place, but as bodies bustled all around them, there was only stillness in her eyes as they probed DES's, deciding.

"Yes," she said, before a man's hand brushed her shoulder in passing and she grabbed it in both of hers, twisting and forcing the man's arm, along with the rest of him, into submission across their table. Hot soykaf flew over DES, and he saw the tiny needle jutting from the man's ring as his broken hand lay palm up on the synthwood.

The woman's eyes were already glazing, her grip loosening, and then another man rushed over from behind her. He was certainly quicker than anyone else to react. He had apparent concern on his face, and a short-bladed combat knife held low in his hand.

[DireRadiant]

Wednesday, 20 November, 2075, 0347; Wolf Point, Kiska Island, Athabaskan Council

"Yes," she said.

Decision made, there was only one way this was going to go. Before DES could start with his pre flight spiel, along with outlining his normal conditions for a guest, the hot soykaf flew. At the sight of the needle and blade DES reflexively triggered the doomsday button on his Maersk Spider, something that had saved him many times before. As long as he got to talk, and didn't get shot right away.

Signal received and exploded along communications channels. Decision space ballooned and immediately split into thousands of high priority packets. Fuel injectors jammed open and capacitors discharged exploding fuel that drove pistons. Batteries struggled with the sudden drain and normally quiescent devices started moving. Protective covers popped and spring torsion bars unleashed stored energy casting a large block of independent decision space into the sky. Blades chopped at the sky as turbines screamed in sudden escalation. The Flying Tigress prepared to fight.

In a world both inside and outside everything sharpened. Swirling ice compacted into violet whorls. Orange and umber smudges gained extra attention, edges contrasting against cerulean solids. The Violet whorl poised itself.

Raising his empty hands high and wide, ignoring the burning wet in his lap, DES focused his will on the two men and commanded, "Stop and listen to me!"

[adamu]

Wednesday, 20 November, 2075, 0347; Wolf Point, Kiska Island, Athabaskan Council

The knife, arcing in a vicious underhanded stroke for the woman's kidney, abruptly halted its course as the preternatural force of DES's tone compelled his immediate attention. The man pinned to the table had no choice in the matter - at least as long as the woman managed to remain conscious and maintain her grip.

But the moment DES had bought was more than enough - within the moments it took for alert but unaugmented metahumans to react, there were half dozen sidearms leveled at all four of the people at the table. DES kept his hands raised, the knfe clattered to the floor and that guy's hands went up. A few tense seconds later and the woman lost her battle with the drug and her quivering eyelids shut as she slumped off her chair to the floor. The last man immediately also raised his hands - one horribly broken - towards the ceiling.

A woman of medium stature and long, gray-streaked hair entered the room. She took in the scene, then her eyes drifted a bit, clearly accessing an AR feed. DES noticed that the room was covered by cameras, and put two and two together as to what the older woman might be looking at. Only took her three seconds, then she was speaking with authority. "These two," she said, referring to the woman's assailants, "are persona non grata for life - send the word to all our affiliates as well - and everything they don't absolutely need to vacate the island is forfeit. Get them out of here. These two," she continued, glancing at DES and the woman on the floor, "have broken none of our rules. Check her out."

[DireRadiant]

Wednesday, 20 November, 2075, 0348; Wolf Point, Kiska Island, Athabaskan Council

DES kept his hands wide and empty, palms showing, even though the immediate threat was dealt with. While judgement was being made he'd brought up the stand down codes and sent them to The Flying Tigress. The hot shot start was going to take 10 hours off her flight time before her next scheduled rebuild.

In a world burning and not burnt compacted violet dissipated into icy blue stormlets. Cerulean cloudlings condensed over umber smudges. And waited.

"I have a Dustoff with a Valkyrie module. I can bring it in." DES paused as he indicated the fallen woman and looked around the room as he announced, "She is a guest of The Flying Tigress and we will carry her safely to her destination."

Decision space disassociated and condensed into idleness. Moisture popped and steamed as asynchronous ragged cycles struggled with uneven energy distributions. Screaming blades and tortured air dispersed and damped down, settling into a hot churning idle. Claws sheathed, eyes watching, The Flying Tigress waited. In other Decision space aborted commands truncated actions and conflicted with emergency stresses as blades chopped the viscous frozen air cushioning it's descent in a mash of chopping blades. The Drop Bear crunched down on some ice and rocks before lifting and flowing slowly towards the old tunnels to the cantina. Launching cold from ground level always exacted a price.

[adamu]

Wednesday, 20 November, 2075, 0359; Wolf Point, Kiska Island, Athabaskan Council

The older woman's patient smile was neither skeptical nor unkind. But neither would it be rushed. She walked away without a word while her people checked the fallen woman out. Across the room, DES saw her conversing with the man who had paid him for the T-bird components. When she returned she nodded. "Seems that odds are she's your passenger legit. And we're not keeping her here. My people have pumped her full of anti-toxins, but I'd get her to a real doctor as soon as I could. We've cleared your drone for the loading bay. Have a pleasant flight."

[DireRadiant]

Wednesday, 20 November, 2075, 0402; Wolf Point, Kiska Island, Athabaskan Council

"Have a pleasant flight."

DES nodded to the woman. "I will find a doctor." DES gathered his will and commanded, "Night Wind, carry our guest to The Drop Bear." DES stalked to the loading bay and waited.

In a world both here and there, azure whorls cycled and formed. It dipped white and shifted into clouds. It moved and sharpened.

Air gelled with flakes of ice and gathered under the woman, lifting her on a clouds of snow only centimeters off the ground. DES paid no attention to the snow clouds, as the large drone, fresh dents on it's ground skirts, koalas painted on its side, entered the loading bay. He reached out and opened the cocoon, punched the activation button then turned and waved the floating woman the last few meters into the valkyrie module. DES verified the attachments and then sealed the woman in. He then commanded, "To The Flying Tigress." DES stalked out into the sub arctic night without looking back.

In a world both here and there, whirling stopped and faded. Clouds dissolved into azure cycling whorls flowing after Darkness.

Blades spun up chopping into frigid air, lifting the machine. Rods shifted, pushing blades into tilted angles shifting vectors. Diagnostics flew through decision trees launching routines. Routines activated pumps, fluids moved, gasses hissed. The Drop Bear followed.

[adamu]

Wednesday, 20 November, 2075, 0405; Wolf Point, Kiska Island, Athabaskan Council

The Tigress took a running leap and caught the frigid air above Wolf Point in her steel claws, dragging herself heavenward. Once she and DES had some altitude, they scanned air and sea for any sign of their charge's exiled attackers. Coming up with nothing, they banked onto course back to Seattle, when movement stood out against the frozen rock surface to the south of the smugglers' base - two parka-bundled figures making their way south overland.

[DireRadiant]

Wednesday, 20 November, 2075, 0410; Wolf Point, Kiska Island, Athabaskan Council

DES tensed and gathered his will and a jolt snapped him back to himself as everything slowed down and sharpened. He'd pay for this later. Spreading The Flying Tigress wings wide, aerolons maxed, props disengaged from the screaming turbines, blades feathering in the gelid air DES dropped in a steep glide. At 30 meters altitude DES jumped out of the blocks, props snapping into gear and turbines injected with max fuel flow. The Flying Tigress descent flattened out at .78 meters and climbed a full 2 meters over the next 105 before bolting into a max climb of 5 meters per second. Behind The Flying Tigress left a huge swath of snow, ice and debris swirled up in a sudden mini blizzard swamping the two parka bundled figures.

"That's for spilling coffee on me!"

Suddenly weary DES eased the climb and settled into a max efficiency 105 knots at 2200 meters before jacking out and letting The Flying Tigress take over.

[adamu]

Wednesday, 20 November, 2075, 1120; Puget Sound, UCAS waters

The wind had been with him but the time zone was a strik against, so DES managed the flight back in roughly the same as his outgoing time. But there'd been no warnings from the autopilot until they'd approached UCAS-monitored airspace around Seattle, and he felt good and rested when he touched water in one of his favorite hideaways on the Sound.

Checking on the medical module, all lights were green. Diagnostic indicators were normal - the Valkyrie's pharmacological suite had apparently done its work, and at a touch of a button the pod opened up to a wide-eyed D-Pop. "Seattle?" Please say yes - I have places to be."