Mercury is the wild west of the inhabited solar system. A rough and tough planet filled only with the children and grandchildren of the stampeders that survived the harsh conditions of the Mercury Permet Rush of Ad Stella 87. While the capital city, Hermes, has some level of “civilized” Spacian decorum, the mining towns are rough and rowdy, where the usual laws didn’t apply. They fought, they gambled, they drank moonshine, and, not used to having to entertain children, they let Suletta play with the only safe “toy” in the area: the driving simulator all drivers for Shin Sei Development Corporation used to get their certifications. Thus, Suletta knew how to drive, and drive well, long before her peers would even think about learning.
Suletta was born and raised here, never knowing anything different. Everyone in her life was tied in some way to the mining industry, from the prospector-turned-nurse-practitioner Nellie Cashman who delivered her, to her tutor hired straight from Shin Sei Development Corporation, the company who owned the majority of Permet claims on the planet.
Her mother, Prospera Mercury, was the CEO and thus was the wealthiest person on the entire planet, although still a relatively small fish in the big pond of the mechanical industry conglomerate “Benerit Group.” While Permet mining would always be its bread and butter, under Prospera it would shift its focus to medical prosthetics (An unfortunate consequence of the inherently dangerous nature of in-person Permet mining that had been the norm until recent), remotely operated mining machines, and other vehicles, namely, automobiles.
Prospera tried her best to keep Suletta within the safe confines of Hermes, and out of the mines, wanting to spare her the harsh conditions of the work. But Suletta of her own volition sped off to them many a time growing up; She used her driving skills to get to cave-ins and other accidents in record time, and her mechanical skills to use the tools on hand to clear rubble, lower stretchers, or whatever was needed to help save lives. Her and her car operated as one, cutting through the rough Mercurian terrain like it was nothing. At the age of 16, she was officially given one of the company cars she had been using this whole time as her own, and she used that freedom to customize it to get as much performance out of it as she could.
The hood of the car had a smooth, aerodynamic protrusion curving off of it in a wide backwards lowercase r shape, to cool the engine.
It had two sets of lights, a smaller square set near the bottom of the front, and a larger,diagonal oval set just above.
The windshield was the size of the hood and was angled up at a 40 degree angle to a smooth top that gently sloped to a much smaller back window.
Behind the window was a devil horn shaped wheel wing to give the back wheels more traction.
The wheel rims were five-pronged, with each prong being two narrow strips of metal radiating from a solid center.
The inside was fitted with two wide racing seats in the front row, and a roll cage.
The wheel was on the right side and had a manual transmission.
As with all Shin Sei vehicles, it was All Wheel Drive.
She also gave it a dashing white, blue, red, and yellow paint job. The white encompassed the majority of the body, the engine air intake was yellow, the hood was blue, and the wheel rims were red.
When it was done, she gave it a test drive and was very pleased. Thinking of how far it flew off of the Mercurian hills and crests, she named it Aerial.
One year later, Prospera enrolled Suletta in the Asticassia School of Technology, majoring in Mechanical Engineering. As she approached the school, she picked up a girl floating alone in space named Miorine Rembran. Miorine, as she explained, was trying to flee the school and the system her powerful father set up wherein duels were waged between students to decide who would marry her, without her consent.
“Duels? Like in western movies?” Suletta asked puzzled. “Even back in Mercury that was seen as outdated. Surely they don’t bring guns or swords to a school?”
“No, nothing like that,” Miorine explained, “my father has the stupid idea that anyone who can drive really well would be able to ‘protect’ me, so they compete against each other in rally races.”
“Rally races?” Suletta tilted her head while asking
“Yeah, its a motorsport where rich kids, mechanic kids, and rich mechanic kids soup up normal street-legal cars and turn them into racing machines.
They normally close off public roads, but here there’s a VR chamber that generates them based off of previous racing venues. The roads are broken up into stages. Whoever goes through these stages the quickest wins.
Unlike in real rallies, the duels here happen just on one stage, randomly selected.
Races happen on tarmac, snow, dirt, you name it.
I wouldn’t have known any of this if my father didn’t insist on making me go to co-driver classes growing up instead of violin lessons.”
“Oh, that’s a sport? Well I could do that easily, Miss Miorine! I already have a car like that named Aerial! Her and I grew up together driving through the rocky roads of Mercury. Maybe I can duel so everyone else can leave you alone?”
“Huh? You barely know me, why would you help me like that?”
“Well, Miss Miorine, you seem really nice and I wanna be your friend! I don’t know how to talk to other kids that well, but I certainly know a thing or two about driving. Friends help each other out, don’t they? That’s what they say in Kingdom Hearts and stuff at least. Let me help you since you’re helping me get used to this place.”
“Deal. Get me out of marrying any of these men, and I’ll be your co-driver. While you drive, I’ll let you know what lies ahead in terms of corners and crests.”
“Did I hear something about men?” Guel, a tall tan man with a streak of pink hair wearing the custom uniform of the Holder, said as he swaggered over.
“Ugh, speak of the Devil” Miorine muttered to Suletta.
“Who’s this little tanuki you’ve picked up Miorine?” Guel said bending down to get a closer look at Suletta. Suletta got in a defensive position reminiscent of her gripping a steering wheel.
“This, Guel, is Suletta Mercury, a freshman here. She is the one who’s gonna take your title.”
“Huh” Guel grunted derisively, “this girl? She looks like she couldn’t even order a pizza over the phone without having a heart attack. You a Spacian or an Earthian?”
“W-well, I’m from Mercury, so that would make me a-”
“Mercury?!” Guel turns towards Miorine “I can’t believe you think this hick can beat me, me, the heir of the Jeturk Heavy Machinery! Let me tell you something Miorine. Let me tell you real up close.”
Guel was smoldering with rage and was approaching Miorine with wife-beater eyes. Suletta saw this and realized she needed to stop it.
“Think Suletta!” she thought “He’s the Holder right? Just do what Miorine said and win a duel against him! But how do I start a duel? Oh right! Like on those tv shows! I slap him with a glove! Oh, but I don’t have a glove... I guess I’ll have to slap him with my hand then!”
Saying that, she spanked him hard like she was trying to form a localized black hole right where his ass was.
Going back into her defensive pose, she stammered out “S-S-Stop treating her like that! I-I challenge you to a duel!”
Guel showed his teeth and growled “If I win, which I will, you’ll never talk to my future wife again.”
Suletta, getting angry at the idea of losing her only friend thus far said “The same goes for you cowboy. If I win, you leave Miss Miorine alone and never hurt her again.”
“Deal. Alea iacta est.”
“Alea iacta est.” Suletta echoed.
A day later at the dueling chamber
Suletta and Miorine, dressed in racing suits and holding their helmets, stood next to Aerial as the intercoms above crackled into life. A short distance away, Guel and a girl Miorine identified as Petra stood next to their car.
“The terrain for this duel will be: gravel! Track format: Stage 6 of the Safari Kenya Rally! ” said the announcer as the dueling chamber transformed before their very eyes.
Suletta’s eyes twinkled as she turned towards Miorine “Miss Miorine, did you hear that? Gravel! Like on Mercury!”
“Oh, that’s a relief,” Miorine replied, “some drivers cannot handle gravel to save their lives.”
“Guel Jeturk and Petra Itta, please make your way to the start line. I repeat, Guel Jeturk and Petra Itta, please make your way to the start line” said the announcer over the intercom.
As Guel and Petra walked to their car, a magenta and dark grey beast with the lion icon of Jeturk Heavy Machinery emblazoned on the sides and top and JHM written in the front grill, Guel got into Suletta’s face and said in a growl “You’re gonna regret this” before stepping into the cockpit of his car.
“Guel, Petra, a moment of your time before the race?” said a glasses wearing girl with dark blonde hair in a ponytail.
“My name’s Searlait Bosch, and I’m the new motorsports reporter for the Asticassia Chronicle. What are your thoughts as you head into your latest duel?” she said as she pointed a microphone into the cockpit of the car.
Petra smiled and simply said “No one stands a chance against us. I could bring my homework instead of my pace notes and we’d still win.”
Guel gave a shit eating grin and added “I am the Holder and the representative of Jeturk Heavy Machinery’s motorsports division, I’ve got nothing to worry about. Whether its creaming country bumpkins or tackling trans-galactic transport,” he finger guns while looking straight into the Haro camera floating next to Searlait’s head, “Jeturk Takes It On!(tm)”
Guel and Petra shortly thereafter begin their race, ending the stage with a respectable 7 minutes and 15 miliseconds.
Suletta and Miorine got inside Aerial, where they too were approached by Searlait.
“Suletta, Miorine, this is Searlait Bosch, the motorsports reporter for the Asticassia Chronicle. I’d like to ask y’all a few questions. Do y’all think you’ve got what it takes to beat the Holder? Suletta, I’ve heard this is your first ever race, is that true? Miorine, how does it feel to be part of the race instead of just the trophy?”
“Ehh?! A-are you filming right now?” Suletta asked as her face went ashen. “Uh, well, uhhhhh..” Suletta rubbed her hands up and down the diameter of the steering wheel
“We’ve got what it takes” said Miorine firmly. Suletta ducked down while she let Miorine take the attention. “While this is Suletta’s first race, she’s been driving since she was a child, so I am confident in her abilities. And it feels great to be honest. Father, if you’re watching this, I’m getting out of your grasp, one way or another.”
“Wonderful, glad to hear” Searlait said as she shifted her gaze to Suletta again “Any last words before the race starts? How about telling me about your car?”
With that Suletta bolted up and looked straight ahead, talking louder and faster the longer she went:
“This car was developed by Shin Sei Development Corporation, the company my mom is the CEO of. Aerial is an all-wheel drive, as all Shin Sei automobiles are. It runs on a modified Boxer 4 engine. It was originally 261 Horsepower at 6000 revolutions per minute, however I’ve managed to tune her up so I get higher numbers than that. Her wheelbase is 99.21 inches. Her brakes are vented discs. Her-”
“Oh, we are out of time.” Searlait abruptly said, looking at her phone’s clock, “Good luck out there!” she finished as she waved goodbye and walked away, her little cross earrings swaying back in forth to the rhythm of her steps.
“You too!” Suletta responded while Miorine slapped her forehead
A short time later
A Haro robot holding a green flag in one hand and a column of three lights in the other floated above Aerial at the start line.
“Suletta! Miorine! Feeling fine? The race is about to begin!”
The first light lit as Haro said “2!”
“1!”
“GO!” the final light turned green and Haro started waving their flag.
“Right 3 into straight (Right corner of level 3 difficulty that immediately enters a straight portion of road)” Miorine said giving her first instructions of the race. Aerial roared as she made the turn and started accelerating down the road, the rocks and trees at the sides passing by quicker and quicker
“160+ L 6 (In 160 and change yards, a left turn of level 6 difficulty)” continued Miorine. Suletta made the adjustment as if her car was magnetized to the track.
Aerial bumped and bounced as she went faster and faster, kicking up a dust cloud behind her suspended beautifully in the air.
“Double caution 200 left 2 (Be careful as this part has a good chance of totalling Aerial if we don’t get it right; a left turn of level two difficulty)” Miorine warned as Suletta expertly weaved the brakes, the clutch, and the gear stick together in a dance of de-acceleration. Losing as little speed as possible, she started accelerating as soon as Aerial was pointed in the right direction.
“You’re doing good, Suletta, keep it up” Miorine added before continuing to sound off her pace notes.
Miorine had understood and edited the school provided pace notes so well that Suletta felt like she had a third eye. Every bump, every turn, every slight adjustment for the best line, she was able to see clearly thanks to her. Her heart was filled with admiration.
Back at the service park
By this point Guel could tell that, at her current pace, Suletta was going to win.
“I am not going to lose my Holder title to some backwater miner’s daughter!” he thought to himself in anger.
He pulled out a cable and connected it to a port at the bottom of his phone. He then stomped over to a nearby tree.
“Guel, what are you doing?” asked a puzzled Petra
“Go back to the park, Petra! Pretend you saw nothing! It will be better for you!” he snapped
Shocked and a little hurt by his, Petra quietly turned back as Guel folded away a portion of the tree’s bark like a cabinet door. Inside was a port cable bay, a keyboard, and a monitor. He connected the cable attached to his phone to the computer and the monitor autofilled
sudo tracklayout
[sudo] password for admin: ***************
Asticassia School of Technology Duel Track Layout Editor
Version 2.23
119-123 AS All Rights Reserved
Once inside, Guel fiddled around until he found the peak of the hairpin turn about 7.87 kilometers away from the startline.
“Let’s see you get around this.” he thought as typed maliciously.
Inside Aerial
“Triple caution 100 left 1 sharp (We will die if we crash here in 100 yards take a very sharp hairpin turn to the left)” Miorine read with her usual professionalism despite the risks
Suletta quickly started shifting down to first gear and deaccelerating for the turn. At the peak of the turn, Aerial had practically stopped moving as she turned the right direction.
Shadows fell on top of Aerial as a rumbling could be heard. Miorine went pale as she saw looked out the back window.
“ROCKSLIDE!” she screamed into the mic attached to her helmet
Filled with a new burst of adrenaline, Suletta gripped the steering wheel with her right hand and her gear shift in her left. Below her left hand, a light blue of Permet started to glow.
“AERIAL!” Suletta shouted as she went pedal to the metal.
If Aerial was any other car, it would be too late. Suletta and Miorine would be trapped inside a metal coffin at best and crushed into a fine paste on the bottom of the rocks at worst.
But Aerial wasn’t any other car.
As the engine roared, the same blue glow that emerged underneath Suletta’s hand encompassed the entire car, forming a bubble.
Speeding down the road, the rocks that would have been their doom bounced harmlessly off to the sides. The last of the rocks bounced off as Aerial launched off of a (newly created) hill just past the turning point.
She flew above the road an astonishing and record breaking 328 feet/100 meters before landing surprisingly gently as the Permet beefed up her already tuned suspension.
At the service park
“DAMN IT DAMN IT DAMN IT!” Guel shouted as he jumped on his hat “WHERE THE HELL DID THAT BUBBLE COME FROM?!”
In Aerial
Hopped up on their near-death experience, Suletta and Miorine finished the rest of the race in what felt like seconds to them. They parked at the finish line and stepped outside, standing side by side.
“A new record!” the announcer blared through the intercom. “6 minutes and 18 seconds! Suletta Mercury and Miorine Rembran are the winners!”
“WE WON MISS MIORINE!” Suletta exclaimed as she gave her a bear hug.
“Ugh..Suletta...can’t breathe...” Miorine squeaked out.
“Oops, sorry Miss Miorine” Suletta said as she released Miorine from her freakishly strong grip.
Miorine smiled as she tapped something in her phone. At that moment, Suletta’s orange racing suit turned white and gold.
“Suletta Mercury, you are now the Holder and are thus arranged to be my groom.”
“Y-y-y-y-your groom? You were serious about that?” Suletta stammered with a full face blush.
“I don’t make the rules. But unlike the other Holders my father’s saddled me with, I could learn to enjoy you~” she said with a wink.
Suletta was confused but surprisingly happy about this, something she would analyze later as she tried to sleep. She fell asleep as she realized which way she swings.
Guel’s act of cheating was found out and he was subsequently expelled from the school personally by his father. He would subsequently join the merchant space marines under the pseudonym “Bob” and work his way back into his father’s good graces.