Carina Valencia

[NebulaCloud]

~A year later...~

The shuttletaxi's door's whooshed open, revealing the vibrant, hectic commotion of Manhattan's capital district. Carina felt her lips pull upward involuntarily as she stepped out onto the platform into the midday sun and looked around at the dazzling lights and moving pictures, feeling simultaneously overwhelmed and invigorated by the sensory overload. Up as high as she could see, shuttles and city traffic buzzed along in unseen traffic lanes stacked atop one another, the collective hums of their repulsorlifts seeming to vibrate everything around them. Trying her best not to stand out too obviously as a newcomer, she giddily made her way over to the platform railing, peering over the edge. The surface streets were so far below her that it almost seemed as if she was floating on an endless expanse of nothing, just piles and piles of traffic lanes crisscrossing her vision every which way, weaving in and out of the myriad jungle of lighted buildings stretching down into the chasm.

She pulled her backpack up higher on her shoulder and started to follow the platform to the main pedetrian walkway, wobbling a little on her high heeled shoes as she strode. She'd taken the time to doll herself up for this day; she'd layered her hair and let it bounce lightly on her shoulders, put on a modest touch of makeup, and wore her best red jacket and slacks. She'd even gone so far as to buy a pair of high heels, and it had taken her days of practice to be able to walk in them without falling down. Once or twice she had to dodge to avoid getting run over by the throngs of people moving like relentless currents of water, unyielding and uncaring of what was in their way. The first few people she tried to flag down to ask for directions didn't even acknowledge her presence. One or two others simply made eye contact and ignored her.

Finally a middle-aged woman in a business suit stopped long enough for her to address. "Excuse me," she asked, "can you tell me where I can find the LPI recruitment office?"

"Sixty-fourth and M on this level," the woman replied flatly. "Follow the railing that way and then watch the signs. Can't get lost." She hardly paused long enough to even make sure her directions sunk in before she walked on.

Carina arched an eyebrow and grinned in spite of the curt reply, then shrugged and started off in the direction she'd indicated, almost turning her ankle on the damn high heel once more as she started again. She'd been told that the walking paths here were laid out in a grid, easy to navigate, so she didn't figure she'd have too much trouble finding her way. Another wave of nervous excitement washed over her as she moved through the crowds. This was it, it was finally happening. She had been called in for an interview for a position as an LPI pilot. Not planetside beats, not customs, not traffic control. Orbital and trade lane patrols. This was for the real thing.

She had to force herself to calm down. She had worked for years to make it to this very moment, and now she could almost taste it. If she handled this well, there'd be no more prison liners, no more leering convicts, no more urine puddles on the deck for her to mop up, no more squeezing into impossibly tight crawl spaces to fix electronics that the men couldn't get to. Taking a deep breath, she stopped her hands from shaking by grabbing hold of the strap slung over her shoulder.

She'd broken the news to her mother and Connie a couple of days ago, before she'd boarded the ship bound for Manhattan, and to Rodrigo just afterward. Her stalwart friend had been overjoyed for her, nearly crushing every bone in her body when he'd lifted her clean off the ground in a bear hug. Her family had been excited for her too, and while her mother did look a little concerned for her safety, it was obvious she was relieved to hear she had a shot at getting away from the prison ships. The only thing she wished she'd been able to do was to tell her father herself. She'd have traded almost anything to see the look on his face when he found out that his uppity little wayward daughter was on the brink of getting a badge.

A laugh burst out of her before she could stop it, and she clapped her hand over her mouth. Nobody around her seemed to notice or care, however, though she still fought to control herself. Wouldn't do any good to go into her interview giggling like a schoolgirl. Boy, the look on her father's face would have been priceless indeed. She imagined him turning red as a beet when her mother broke the news, and could almost hear him stammering and sputtering like an idiot in his rage.

Immediately her laughter stopped as a thought occurred to her. Surely Felix wouldn't take his anger out on her mother and sister? No, certainly not. He hated the cops and did everything he could to stop her from becoming one, but as much of an intolerant, selfish ass as he was, he couldn't be cowardly enough to lash out at his wife, or his other daughter. Could he?

The possibility alone was enough to stay Carina's giddiness. She shook her head as if clearing it from a bad dream. He'd be mad, but surely not mad enough to do something that stupid. It wouldn't do any good to worry about it now, she had to be focused. Just to be sure, however, she made a mental note to send a wave back home to check on them as soon as she got out of her interview and found a room for the night. If her fears were confirmed, she swore she'd go back to Houston and break his legs herself.

She noticed the LPI office just as she was about to pass it. Had it not been for the unassuming sign shaped like a police badge with the LPI logo emblazoned on it, she'd have missed it. She stopped and looked up at the rather unimpressive suite. She didn't know what she'd expected, but it was certainly something more... grandiose. This looked like a two-bit operation run out of a little drugstore, almost. Given the sardine-can packing of businesses and people crammed onto the overcrowded surface of this world, however, she guessed she shouldn't have been surprised. Space was at a huge premium here, and this little hovel was likely costing the company thousands upon thousands of credits per standard month.

Drawing her shoulders back, she brushed her hair back over one ear and took a deep breath. This was it. Her moment to shine.

With practiced confidence, she carefully put one foot in front of the other, testing her balance, and pulled open the glass doors, striding inside.