Hudson with Terror

[Lochrath]

Mary had learned quickly to take advice from people with experience. Air in, four seconds. Air out, four seconds.

She clearly disliked this display, as she bowed her head to hide her face. Maybe it was just easier to breath. Who's to say.

Air in.

The experience wasn't terrible. She had more respect to those pilots who decided to fly these zippy little crafts. Maybe she could take it up. There was a lot of soiled vomit bags in the future if she decided that path.

Air out.

Maybe it was the shock of the whole experience. The natural gravity, the intense movements. She wasn't used to this on her body. That had to be it. It was just inexperience. It was lack of warning. It was being out of her element.

Air in.

Then why was there a creep of shaking panic in her breaths? She didn't want to think of what she saw back in that crater. She didn't want the weakness of her history to dominate her life. She didn't want this man to see it.

Air out.

Her head lifted. She just sat back and breathed for a moment. Eventually a tap of the helmet muted the connection. A few seconds later it unmuted as if it had been muted this whole time. Her voice sounded tired, but that strength was back in it, real or not. "Don't know what you're talkin' about. M'good to go in." A bold faced lie this time. Her tone conveyed she didn't want to discuss it.