So I have made some huge changes in this chapter, first edit in over two years. As i update each chapter I will date it. Edit 12-18-2014.

I own Rebecca.

Chapter 1

Year 2144

The engine rumbled through Rebecca's hands and feet, pulsing through her whole body. She gripped the steering wheel and let out a slow breath as her heart thudded. She squinted up through the visor of her helmet at the dirty orange clouds that spanned the skies and filtered the light to match their rank color. She looked back down at the dusty race track, almost willing another tumbleweed to dance across its hot glossy surface. Looking over her controls and double checking the readings from her gauges, she took several deep breaths from her modified re-breather helmet to keep herself alert. The radio buzzed in her ear, giving last minute checks for her to acknowledge.

Anticipation started growing in the pit of her stomach as the red start-up lights lit one by one. Then as the decisive green light glowed, signaling the start of the race, the instinct that her years of racing gave her kicked in, easily letting her take the lead out of the first turn. Two hours later, when she crossed the finish line in first place, the roar of the crowd made her heart soar. Even through her labored breathing and aching bones, she still enjoyed the thrill of the race. Rebecca pulled up to the garages and slipped her car inside as the large doors snapped open. They closed behind her with a resounding thud and a blast of concentrated air swept across her car, washing the sand and dirt out of every crevice. She unstrapped her helmet from around her re-breather and crawled out of her racecar, her team surrounding her with yells of excitement. She tried her best to respond in kind, but didn't have the energy. Slowly, her crew realized how weak she was and after their enthusiasm faded, her head mechanic helped her through the connected buildings and over to the winner's circle.

Rebecca walked into the clean hallways of the connected main building and took off her re-breather. This finally forced out a familiar wheezing cough. She took a few slow breaths back in her rebreather, she just had to get through the ceremony. Turning carefully, Rebecca handed her re-breather to the mechanic who had helped her and put on her best smile. Then she walked into the massive room and into the fame.

Though she couldn't hear the crowd cheering, she could still see orange tinted masses moving and pulsating in their enclosed viewing areas through the large polished glass walls that protected them all from the noxious air on the outside. She took her trophy with a big smile for the fans, shook a few officials' hands, and purposefully moved off of the podium and back into the hall when her part had been played in its entirety. Reporters swarmed her with flashing cameras and questions that never seemed to end. Rebecca muscled through them with the help of a few sympathetic drivers who were waiting nearby. Grateful of the silence, she passed into some less populated hallways and found her way down to the garage. Just as she reached the garage the coughing fit that she was repressing finally overwhelmed her. Carl, her team owner rushed up behind her and helped to push her those last few feet into the garage, closing the door quickly behind him. He guided Rebecca to a nearby chair and let her collapse upon it.

"You can't let those vultures see you like this Rebecca. All the media needs is more terror to feed to the people," he glanced back nervously at the door as if the reporters were suddenly able to see and hear through solid sheets of metal.

"Everyone is already terrified," Rebecca replied between coughs. She was fumbling for her inhaler inside of her race suit and sucked it in desperately as she finally extracted it from an inner pocket. The medication only soothed her for a moment before a new wave of coughing overtook her. She fell to the floor, her chair clattering loudly across the floor. Carl cursed under his breath and picked Rebecca up off of the floor. When her coughing finally subsided, she pulled her hand away from her mouth. Carl's face went white and she quickly reached up and wiped her mouth, knowing that there would be blood there. Then she spoke the words she had been dreading,

"I'm sorry Carl, but it's time. I have to resign, this was my last race. At least I went out with a bang." Her voice now hoarse and cracking, emphasized her point. Carl didn't seem to be surprised at this.

"What are you going to do?"

"I'm going to Terra Nova." Finally, the shock on Carl's face was quite clear.

"What? How? It's practically impossible to be chosen for Terra Nova!"

"Honestly, I have no idea. They say for my military experience, but I haven't been active for years and they know how far my disease has progressed."

"Maybe they know they're saving your life."

Rebecca gave him a wry smile, "Maybe."

She took her final paycheck, said her goodbyes, strapped on her re-breather, and walked into the dusty orange sunset.

Three Months Later

Rebecca shouldered her pack and gazed up at the cavernous room around her. It was cold and covered with dark gray metal and shining glass veins. Each vein was filled with a pulsing blue light, powered by some hidden mechanical heart. She tugged at the sleeve of her uniform, which she had not worn for some time. Excitement and hope rose within her from a place she though was long dead, but she tried her hardest to keep it in check. After working her way through the last few security checks, she had finally caught up with the small marine unit, settled at the head of the line of civilians waiting to enter the portal. She fell into line and smiled softly to herself, her life was about to change forever. There was nothing left for her here anyway. She coughed harshly into her sleeve and tried to hide the wheezing that was creeping into her breaths. This made her think desperately of the fresh air that Terra Nova was rumored to have, hoping it would be enough to cure her.

The soft humming of the room slowly rose in pitch until it felt like the entire room was vibrating. Rebecca could practically feel the portal powering up before it actually opened. The vibrations under her feet were not so different from those of the engine from her racecar, and in a way that was comforting. She suppressed a cough once more and earned a concerned glance from the officer walking by her. He paused and nodded in recognition,

"Congratulations on the win the other month, Miles."

"Thank you sir," she smiled softly. Sadness seeped into her heart as she reminded herself that she wouldn't be able to race any longer in Terra Nova. Suddenly the portal appeared with a loud crack, forcing her out of her thoughts and extracting a few scattered cheers throughout the nervous crowd. Wind started to swirl up around the crowd, whipping Rebecca's hair out from under her cap. Rebecca and her line of marines were ordered forward and they walked right up to the portal and stopped. The first marine rushed the portal with confidence and disappeared into the vibrating blue disk with a flurry of bright sparks. As the line in front of her grew shorter, Rebecca's anticipation grew exponentially.

She took a deep breath as she became the head of the line and closed her eyes until the officer told her it was her turn. She opened her eyes and walked steadily towards the portal, her hair flying wildly. The humming seemed to shake every bone in her body, but she kept walking straight into the light. Blue light engulfed her senses and electricity vibrated through her body, but she just kept pushing forward until the light faded, and a world she had thought lost to humanity came into focus.

I'm hoping to keep the editing going, please review my new chapter!