Chereads / The Defeated Gentleman / Chapter 3 - The Pilot

Chapter 3 - The Pilot

Ayr Lite, was seated at the desk in his office. On his com display were the results of the evaluations the instructors had given Lily, 3 more files also appeared next to hers. He gave a quick two the other 3, and closed them.

-Mrs. Abigail if there is nothing more that requires my attention, I will go to the workshop, if there is any urgent call, please transfer it to my pcom- He had called from his com display

-Certantly sir, and how did you felt about Ms. Lily?- Mrs. Abigail replied

Ayr laughed, he guessed Mrs. Abigail had been waiting ever since Ms. Lily left to make that question, he had re read those reports on purpose.

-I trust your judgment Mrs. Abigail-

-Thank you sir, but that doesn't answer my question- Mrs. Abigail was relentless

-She was not the candidate recommended by the instructors for that position, they did say however, she could handle the position, but that she was not the best among the candidates, and they even placed her lower on matching our personalities-

-Still sir, what did you feel?-

Damn Mrs Abigail, she was sly as and old fox.

-I felt she is capable and determined, with tendencies to space out, but I do feel she would do, thank you for your recommendation Mrs. Abigail-

-It is my pleasure sir- The coms were shut.

Ayr stood up and strapped his pcom to his forearm, then left his office. He then went to the back stairs that lead directly to the parking lot, he did not want to meet with Mrs. Abigail cheeky smile on his way out.

Behind the building in a small parking space was his gravflyer, it was a hybrid model of flyer, which could be used as a gravcar on ground. It was not a recent model, but it had been undergone some changes, it had a two way power source, a small but potent core when used as a flyer, and had a battery bank with solar panels, that worked when it was on ground.

It was painted on silver and cobalt, gravflyers had recently became more popular, and it was not strange to see them on Beta Prime. Ayr entered his, and start it up in ground mode, he had no rush going to the workshop. The gravflyer lift up a few centimeters from the ground, it had 2 rear propulsion turbines.

He exited the company grounds, and went for the main avenue, the workshop was on the outskirts of Raun Prime City, it had recently received the distinction as city as its populatiosn grew. It was located on the border of Beta Prime "Farmlands" which was were its famous agricultural industry laid. The Farmlands, where located along Beta Prime Equator and were the planets workforce laid, its products were wanted galaxy wide, and was one of the reason why Beta Prime was often called the jewel of the Lorean Expanse.

He had just arrived at the main avenue when his pcom rang.

-Pleas sir, drive carefuly- said Mrs. Abigail in a cheeky tone

-Thank you Mrs. Abigail, talk to you later- She knew he had tried to escape from her, by taking the back stairs. She had an incredible ability, she could mock you but in an elegant way; an even though she very often make those snarky comments, she was superb at her work, and for him in particular an incredible support.

Ayr was on his way to the workshop. Things had changed so much on this last year, more so in the last months. Ever since he had the opportunity to become a profesional pilot, he had make a plan for the future. He had worked to achieve it, and made preparations, but the plan had been forced to start a year before planned.

He was a on his way to the workshop, he somehow felt as if he was starting as a pilot again.




He was born here, on Raun Town, before it became a city. His family worked on the wheat district, his father was harvester mechanic and his mother was a teacher. They died when he was 11, they were on Prime Beta, they had assisted a friends wedding, when a terrorist attack happened.

They were on the main hover-train station waiting for the train back to Raun, when a series of explosives where detonate on the station. The terrorist where trying to force the Beta Prime government to cancel and export deal it had recently made. They were funded by the planet Koerus, just a jump away from the Lorean Expanse, they were also a agricultural world, and wanted to gain the deal Beta Prime had made.

His parents did not had many savings, their jobs were medium payed but had nice benefits. Ayr received a pension, and his education up to his legal age of 17, would be covered, in the best schools from his area, if their was not an appropriated school level in the area his expanses would be covered so that he could attend to one.

He was taken in by his grand parents and aunt, from his mother side. They lived in Ruan as well, and was visited often by his uncle family, who was his fathers brother, who was a harvest mechanic as well. His grand parents were retired school teachers, and decided to home schooled him. His mothers sister, lived with them as well, she had a kid younger than him by 6 years, who became his little brother.

Ever since he was little he loved the help his father on his work, and kept helping his uncle, who loved to teach him since he learned fast and was dedicated. Ayr had always been fascinated by his father and uncle works as mechanics, he decided to study to become a mechanical engineer. He had already finished the regular courses by 14 years, since both his grand parents liked teaching him, and he took the certificate courses on the newly created Ruan University.

Everyone from his family watched MAC racing, his grand father in particular was mad about them, ever since Ayr was 4, he had taken him to watch the Beta Prime Farmlands Classic. The race was held near Ruan, and was the first official track from Beta Prime sanctioned by the MAC Pro Circuit (MAC PC). Ayr loved MAC racing, his father and mother always watched the races, and sometimes they had gone to with him and his grand father as well.

MAC racing was a big part of Beta Prime, the Farmlands loved the sport, ever since the first Farmlands Classic, it became part of them. When Ayr turned 14, and had passed his university entrance, his grand father and uncle, bought him and old MAC frame, his uncle said they could rebuilt it together, and his grand father thought it would be a fantastic school project trying to improve it.

They knew he would like it, but they had never expected how much. Ayr, took every course available on his school, and began working on the MAC frame, his uncle came from time to time in the afternoons to help him. He knew a lot about harvesting machinery, and the main frame of the MAC was not a problem for him, but the Accelerators, were a completely unknown to him. Ayr had no one to coach him on those, but he devoured information about them on his university, little by little he had managed to created a working prototype on the university campus, he know only needed to build it.

His aunt and grand mother funded, whatever parts he needed that his uncle could not salvage from his workshop, within a year and a half, there was a MAC ready for testing on his grand parents shed.
Neither his uncle nor his grand father doubted he could actually built one, but he had done it fast. They took the MAC to a amateur track to test it, his uncle got them entrance during the night.

MAC racing had an average speed of 850 km/h, with the fastest speeds almost reaching 1000 km/h, they went to the long straight which was almost 1km. Ayr had driven in some of the MAC's for testing in this same track, his uncle had arranged a deal so that he could gain some practice.

They last checked everything, and his grand father and uncle went to the side of the track, Ayr, started the engine and prepared everything, there was only one thing left to do. He pushed the accelerator all the way through and his homemade MAC responded with an approximate speed of 800 km/h, he had crossed the straight in a heart beat, and was facing the first turn.

Before he started, his grand father, uncle and him had agreed he would only test the straight and if it worked correctly they would gradually let him take the whole track. Ayr had made a lot of laps before with the MAC's for testing he had started with the slowest one of 300 km/h to the fastest on this track which reached 600 km/h.

He took the first turn, and the second, before he finally slowed down. His uncle and grand father were screaming him to stop on his headset, they were running towards the MAC. He however had been caught by surprise by the speed. He could not paid attention to anything else, other than driving.

When they reached the MAC, Ayr had already stepped outside, and was sitting next to it, laughing to his hearts content.

His uncle believed Ayr had a natural talent, he had been with him on his test runs. His grand father was the more passionate about MAC racing and liked the adrenaline, but he had never thought about his grand son becoming a pilot. Even when he had believed him capable building the MAC and testing he had not really think abou it.

His wife had asked him once if he would support Ayr if he tried to become a pilot, he had laughed at her idea but perhaps it was time to possibly think about it.

They did not want to test it again. They just pick the MAC and went back to their homes. They invited the uncle to dinner, and Ayr told his grand mother all about the test. He then went to his room to try to adjust his design on the steering controls.

He later found out that, after he went to his room. His grand father, grand mother and uncle had a seriuos talk. His uncle had been the one to get him to make those test drives and had suggested his grand father to asked Ayr if he would like to get inside the amateur circuit, at the time his grand father had said that it was good to get him to make the test si that he could try the MAC if he was able to build it, like an extra motivation, and said that if they offered him the opportunity he would leave his studies incomplete.

This time however it was his grand father who asked the uncle if they could get him on the circuit, that really surprised his grand mother, they all liked MAC racing but is was dangerous.
-You should have seen him darling, I had not seen him laughed like that ever since... the accident. We have never kept him sheltered, as we did not want him to feel refrained by the loss. I want to offer him the choice, but only if you agree, and, if we can actually offer him a chance-

That night theirs live changed.