Racing Towards the Future
Ladies and Gentleman! Species of all shapes and sizes! Welcome to the 957th Standard Annual Oa'Moja Hop-Shell Grand Champions Round!
This was it. All the hard work leading up to this race was about to pay off for the fresh-faced man in the pole position. Though he lacked the experience of some of his competition, those with hundreds of years’ worth, he was more than a match based on pure skill behind the stick. He had a legion of adoring fans spanning the entirety of civilized space and today would not be the day that he lets them down. He has spent months preparing for this; countless hours of training and fine tuning his body, mind, reflexes, and vehicle. Sure, he may have had access to all the greatest mechanics, mental boosters, and resources afforded but he knew that his talent is what got him here. Money and influence could only get you so far; ability is what got you even further.
All the winners from the qualifying rounds now go head-to-head in the largest, fastest, most death-defying race in the galaxy! Your Racing heroes are ready, fans, are you!
He could feel it now in every fiber of his being; an intense burning of pure anticipation and adrenaline. His grip on the control stick could snap a support beam; or a neck depending on who you asked. He took a moment to look down at the note he had scrawled himself along the door panel in crude chalk.
Remember to breathe.
He knew he was forgetting something. All his focus was on what it was going to take in order to beat the competition and stake his claim as the fastest rising star in the history of Hop-Shell racing. Though he had accomplished a lot so far in his life, he knew that none of it mattered as much as this. To become a champion meant solidifying his place among the elite and subsequently earning the respect of his family. He was pressured into politics or business before he could fully form a sentence, but he chose to excel at something else and excel he did. Though his father may not have always agreed with his decision to pursue fame, he could at least appreciate the drive it took to make it this far; and would also appreciate the boost in positioning on their home world to have a son win such an important race.
For the millions here today and the trillions watching around the Core and beyond, let's get ready to race! Drivers, on my mark. Go!
Kelvin Androxa shot off the line with an explosive force and speed not entirely unlike that of a Beast of Barrmur after its prey. The Champions round consisted of himself and five other winners of qualifying events, but he knew it was just down two. He was heralded as a favorite, having set near record laps in his previous races, as was a Fernak by the name of Horwril Font. Font had been racing for longer than Kel had been alive and had placed at or near the top of the standing board multiple times throughout his career. If Kel was going to stamp his name as the next great star of the sport, he was going to have to put down Font once and for all. This was not the first time the two of them had been on the same track, but Kel had always come up short in their previous encounters; be it by poor luck or mechanical malfunctions or limitations.
As expected, both the upstart Androxa and Font are fast out in front! Milisili tails behind those two, and the rest of the pack not far behind! As you all know, this course is riddled with obstacles and is near impossible to finish in one piece! We haven’t had a unanimous winner of this final course in decades!
Riddle with obstacles was more than just an understatement. Kel had never experienced a course that required such fine detail to even the slightest of movements as this one did. Hop-Shell Racing was a dangerous sport, thousands of racers died every season throughout the galaxy events, but he was not prepared for this as well as he may have thought. To stay within regulation, he had to consistently dart around piles of metal wreckage, rock formations, and electric barriers. All the while, he was fighting for position with Font and doing what he could to not lose ground to the other racers behind them. He was so hyper focused on every movement that he could feel the blood pumping through his clenched fists to the tune of his heart beating loudly in his ears.
“Better look out, loser. One wrong move now and you’re going to end up a flattened hunk of garbage, which seems fitting considering the family you come from.” Font crackled in static over the closed-channel comms, snapping Kel back into reality for a moment.
“Why is it that am I’m not at all surprised that you’d waste the time and effort hacking into my frequency just to try and distract with me lame insults, Font?” came his retort at the same moment he had to make an unbelievably sharp turn around a downed bridge.
“You say that as if it wasn’t as easy as just giving your crew a little financial encouragement.” Font said, with a snort over the radio.
Kel wasn’t dumb. He knew that members of his own crew were not loyal to him, but he had to just hope that none of them were willing to tamper with the mechanics of his ride. Everything felt right from the pilot’s seat, and from somewhere else around the edges of his mind. He could visualize each moving part effortlessly in sync with each other, even has he pushed the throttle to maximum power. Even though he still heard Font’s juvenile gibberish in his headset, his mind and body were someplace else entirely. It was a place he had never been with a focus more intense than any he’d ever experienced. He was going to win this race.
Font has the slightest edge over home-world hero Androxa! The other three competitors are falling behind fast, with one of them bowing out as I speak!
The track was a blur in front of him; eyes narrowed on a pin directly in front of his view. His nav-track chimed that they were about to hit the halfway point of the race. Hop-Shell runs were short, but action packed, and this one was no different. The goal was always just to get from Point A to Point B in the fastest amount of time, but this race included the added hazards of near death at every turn. The fans loved it, even if it meant losing some of their most popular stars at early ages. That’s what made Font dangerous as an opponent; he’d somehow lasted all these years and was still battling it out to be crowned the champion.
We’re in the final stretch now, fans! It’s a two-man race now, as we all knew it would be! Font and Androxa are separated by the slightest margin as they approach Dead Lands Canyon!
“This is your last chance for you to back off, cake eater!” Font laughed, while bumping his craft into the side of Kel’s.
Kel slapped the side of his helmet to shut off his comms and pushed his vehicle even harder. He could see the canyon just ahead in the distance and knew that if he was able to get in front of Font before they got down into it, he’d all but ensure himself a victory. And to his slight surprised, he was pulling ahead. And then just as suddenly, he was out in front of Font and pulling down into the canyon. A thought of alarm touched him just behind the eyes, but he paid no mind to it. He was about to win; to become even more famous and idolized than he could have ever dreamed.
“I warned you.” Font had sent a manual override message directly to his visor that scrawled across Kel’s peripheral.
Before Kel had a chance to comprehend what that meant, it was becoming clear to him in real time. A pair of large explosions ripped through the sides of the canyon he was now directly in between. It was obvious that Font had set up a trap and Kel was ashamed that he had fallen for it. He was so focused on winning that he allowed himself to be manipulated into what was surely death. Debris and large shards of rocks were already hitting his craft, causing him to nearly spiral out of control. He fought with the control stick and with physics; survival was slipping further away with each passing moment.
However, something was happening around him now; a thick, dark smoke was engulfing his cockpit. But none of his emergency fire alarms were going off and he could still breathe. The smoke was expanding at a steady rate, making it hard for him to see what to dodge in front of him as he twisted out of control. He had no explanation for what was happening, but the smoke was now leaking out of his craft as though it had some sort of intelligence to it. His body was straining through the force of the crash and yet he felt something else. He felt…strong; and in control of everything around him. He sensed more explosions somewhere outside of his vehicle before they detonated. He saw the world in slow motion around him and the magical cloud engulfed his Hop completely. He finally recognized what was happening; even if he couldn’t explain it.
It was pure and raw UDE-1 energy. He knew the stories and the fables well; every intelligent species in the galaxy knew them. He just never thought he’d be one of the few that were able to bring the dormant power to life. In fact, it was never something he had ever contemplated. His focus was always becoming one the best in whatever he did but had no idea that he’d also be fortunate enough to be connected to UDE-1. It made sense though, as he righted his craft through the darkness ahead. He was always destined for greatness, so why not join the ranks of the most elite group in the galaxy? The Order of Ascendancy would surely be coming for him after this. But first, he had a race to win and a purse to spend.
He pushed the throttled back down to full speed and darted out of the rubble and UDE-1 cloud towards the finish line and towards a new future.
This was it. All the hard work leading up to this race was about to pay off for the fresh-faced man in the pole position. Though he lacked the experience of some of his competition, those with hundreds of years’ worth, he was more than a match based on pure skill behind the stick. He had a legion of adoring fans spanning the entirety of civilized space and today would not be the day that he lets them down. He has spent months preparing for this; countless hours of training and fine tuning his body, mind, reflexes, and vehicle. Sure, he may have had access to all the greatest mechanics, mental boosters, and resources afforded but he knew that his talent is what got him here. Money and influence could only get you so far; ability is what got you even further.
All the winners from the qualifying rounds now go head-to-head in the largest, fastest, most death-defying race in the galaxy! Your Racing heroes are ready, fans, are you!
He could feel it now in every fiber of his being; an intense burning of pure anticipation and adrenaline. His grip on the control stick could snap a support beam; or a neck depending on who you asked. He took a moment to look down at the note he had scrawled himself along the door panel in crude chalk.
Remember to breathe.
He knew he was forgetting something. All his focus was on what it was going to take in order to beat the competition and stake his claim as the fastest rising star in the history of Hop-Shell racing. Though he had accomplished a lot so far in his life, he knew that none of it mattered as much as this. To become a champion meant solidifying his place among the elite and subsequently earning the respect of his family. He was pressured into politics or business before he could fully form a sentence, but he chose to excel at something else and excel he did. Though his father may not have always agreed with his decision to pursue fame, he could at least appreciate the drive it took to make it this far; and would also appreciate the boost in positioning on their home world to have a son win such an important race.
For the millions here today and the trillions watching around the Core and beyond, let's get ready to race! Drivers, on my mark. Go!
Kelvin Androxa shot off the line with an explosive force and speed not entirely unlike that of a Beast of Barrmur after its prey. The Champions round consisted of himself and five other winners of qualifying events, but he knew it was just down two. He was heralded as a favorite, having set near record laps in his previous races, as was a Fernak by the name of Horwril Font. Font had been racing for longer than Kel had been alive and had placed at or near the top of the standing board multiple times throughout his career. If Kel was going to stamp his name as the next great star of the sport, he was going to have to put down Font once and for all. This was not the first time the two of them had been on the same track, but Kel had always come up short in their previous encounters; be it by poor luck or mechanical malfunctions or limitations.
As expected, both the upstart Androxa and Font are fast out in front! Milisili tails behind those two, and the rest of the pack not far behind! As you all know, this course is riddled with obstacles and is near impossible to finish in one piece! We haven’t had a unanimous winner of this final course in decades!
Riddle with obstacles was more than just an understatement. Kel had never experienced a course that required such fine detail to even the slightest of movements as this one did. Hop-Shell Racing was a dangerous sport, thousands of racers died every season throughout the galaxy events, but he was not prepared for this as well as he may have thought. To stay within regulation, he had to consistently dart around piles of metal wreckage, rock formations, and electric barriers. All the while, he was fighting for position with Font and doing what he could to not lose ground to the other racers behind them. He was so hyper focused on every movement that he could feel the blood pumping through his clenched fists to the tune of his heart beating loudly in his ears.
“Better look out, loser. One wrong move now and you’re going to end up a flattened hunk of garbage, which seems fitting considering the family you come from.” Font crackled in static over the closed-channel comms, snapping Kel back into reality for a moment.
“Why is it that am I’m not at all surprised that you’d waste the time and effort hacking into my frequency just to try and distract with me lame insults, Font?” came his retort at the same moment he had to make an unbelievably sharp turn around a downed bridge.
“You say that as if it wasn’t as easy as just giving your crew a little financial encouragement.” Font said, with a snort over the radio.
Kel wasn’t dumb. He knew that members of his own crew were not loyal to him, but he had to just hope that none of them were willing to tamper with the mechanics of his ride. Everything felt right from the pilot’s seat, and from somewhere else around the edges of his mind. He could visualize each moving part effortlessly in sync with each other, even has he pushed the throttle to maximum power. Even though he still heard Font’s juvenile gibberish in his headset, his mind and body were someplace else entirely. It was a place he had never been with a focus more intense than any he’d ever experienced. He was going to win this race.
Font has the slightest edge over home-world hero Androxa! The other three competitors are falling behind fast, with one of them bowing out as I speak!
The track was a blur in front of him; eyes narrowed on a pin directly in front of his view. His nav-track chimed that they were about to hit the halfway point of the race. Hop-Shell runs were short, but action packed, and this one was no different. The goal was always just to get from Point A to Point B in the fastest amount of time, but this race included the added hazards of near death at every turn. The fans loved it, even if it meant losing some of their most popular stars at early ages. That’s what made Font dangerous as an opponent; he’d somehow lasted all these years and was still battling it out to be crowned the champion.
We’re in the final stretch now, fans! It’s a two-man race now, as we all knew it would be! Font and Androxa are separated by the slightest margin as they approach Dead Lands Canyon!
“This is your last chance for you to back off, cake eater!” Font laughed, while bumping his craft into the side of Kel’s.
Kel slapped the side of his helmet to shut off his comms and pushed his vehicle even harder. He could see the canyon just ahead in the distance and knew that if he was able to get in front of Font before they got down into it, he’d all but ensure himself a victory. And to his slight surprised, he was pulling ahead. And then just as suddenly, he was out in front of Font and pulling down into the canyon. A thought of alarm touched him just behind the eyes, but he paid no mind to it. He was about to win; to become even more famous and idolized than he could have ever dreamed.
“I warned you.” Font had sent a manual override message directly to his visor that scrawled across Kel’s peripheral.
Before Kel had a chance to comprehend what that meant, it was becoming clear to him in real time. A pair of large explosions ripped through the sides of the canyon he was now directly in between. It was obvious that Font had set up a trap and Kel was ashamed that he had fallen for it. He was so focused on winning that he allowed himself to be manipulated into what was surely death. Debris and large shards of rocks were already hitting his craft, causing him to nearly spiral out of control. He fought with the control stick and with physics; survival was slipping further away with each passing moment.
However, something was happening around him now; a thick, dark smoke was engulfing his cockpit. But none of his emergency fire alarms were going off and he could still breathe. The smoke was expanding at a steady rate, making it hard for him to see what to dodge in front of him as he twisted out of control. He had no explanation for what was happening, but the smoke was now leaking out of his craft as though it had some sort of intelligence to it. His body was straining through the force of the crash and yet he felt something else. He felt…strong; and in control of everything around him. He sensed more explosions somewhere outside of his vehicle before they detonated. He saw the world in slow motion around him and the magical cloud engulfed his Hop completely. He finally recognized what was happening; even if he couldn’t explain it.
It was pure and raw UDE-1 energy. He knew the stories and the fables well; every intelligent species in the galaxy knew them. He just never thought he’d be one of the few that were able to bring the dormant power to life. In fact, it was never something he had ever contemplated. His focus was always becoming one the best in whatever he did but had no idea that he’d also be fortunate enough to be connected to UDE-1. It made sense though, as he righted his craft through the darkness ahead. He was always destined for greatness, so why not join the ranks of the most elite group in the galaxy? The Order of Ascendancy would surely be coming for him after this. But first, he had a race to win and a purse to spend.
He pushed the throttled back down to full speed and darted out of the rubble and UDE-1 cloud towards the finish line and towards a new future.