After a writing block because of school stress, I could finally write the fifth part of my "The Ultimate Race"-series. It's a little speculation about what maybe happened to Tork and Porkchop during their little "detour" through the wormhole - and why or where they got those hyperpods.

#5: Gravity

Damn it! When Tork had turned around with the words "I'll go get Porkchop", he surely hadn't expected in this moment the damn AcceleCharger wouldn't work.

The Metal Maniac leader grit his teeth. Using the EDR was out of the question: As long as no intimate danger threatened their life, they had to stay in their cars. There weren't any spare cars or motorbikes left in the AcceleDrome, and even if there had been any, the both of them would never catch up with the others.

But for Kurt's plan to succeed, they all had to be together as soon as they would cut off the comlink to the AcceleDrome. The group needed every driver and their skills to deal with the Drones, capture a Sweeper, save Wylde and return back without losing anyone.

This here was really the last thing they could need right now: Two drivers, of whom one was essential in the plan to capture a Sweeper, were floating away in the Cosmic Realm to something like a colored whirlpool in space (Tork didn't even want to think what this thing might would do to them).

Tork wasn't really eager to heighten the chance of getting lost in this place and to put up the quote of missing drivers in the Realms. And being sucked into a cosmic whirlpool stood high up in the list of ways how he wanted to accomplish this.

Just great.

He made eye contact with Porkchop: The other Metal Maniac seemed to be in a light panic, with his eyes wide open and his mouth hanging loose. Just as Tork wanted to say some reassuring words over the radio, Rat-ified came close to the whirlpool: The car, Porkchop within, vanished in a bright flash of light that appeared oddly similar before Tork was sucked in as well.

There were no words for his surprise as he felt the same sensation he usually got when driving through the Wheel of Power; but like there, this was short-lived as he found himself already bouncing on concrete street again in the same moment.

The Metal Maniac had to admit that the idea of finding the very way getting back to the track was quite disturbing – because in the vast nothingness of this Realm, the chances to do so weren't high likely. And if they hadn't, they would now forever be floating through the empty space.

The idea made Tork shiver and he shook resolutely his head. Back to business. What mattered most now was that he was standing on a street which had to lead somehow back to the main track; this meant driving, not bothering about possibilities which may could have been.

Besides, there was already a new problem ahead.

"Hey Tork, are you okay?"

Porkchop's voice made him jump a bit: He had been so immersed in his thoughts that he had forgotten about the other driver. He looked to his left where Rat-ified was standing right next to his car.

"Yeah, just surprised that we're still in one piece. Hadn't thought this was portal."

The redhead shrugged. "Learn something new every day."

"I would rather learn how we're gonna get over this thing there", the Metal Maniac leader pointed with his head to the massive stone about one kilometer away from them. It looked like it had once crashed into the street, but then didn't feel like finishing the job and stayed where it was – with its middle exactly on the level of the track. This left an obstacle of fifty meters height of unyielding stone and going around it was impossible as well.

And the problem was that the exit (another whirlpool) floated in the distance behind this very piece of rock.

This was really their lucky day.

"Any ideas to solve this "little" problem?"

"Look behind you."

What? His head snapped to look at Porkchop to ask what he meant, but he stopped when he saw that the other's gaze was fixed on something behind them.

Tork shrugged, deciding to humor the other driver and turned around, although he couldn't understand at all why the redhead was suddenly grinning li-

Oh. That's why.

Porkchop's grin threatened to split his face: "Nice toys. Feel like a ride in them?"

But Tork said nothing, only stared at the sight before his eyes.

Why the Accelerons had placed a wormhole in the Cosmic Realm at all was above his mind; the existence of hyperpods here made sense on the other hand because the Accelerons had known the vehicles would probably be needed.

But he couldn't help it but still feel bothered about this because-

He shivered: How should the Accelerons have known there would be exactly two drivers needing hyperpods?

My thanks go to HaloFin who always commended my stories, as well as Jimmy Candlestick, who was also so nice to beta-read the first version of this story. As you both can see I've done quite a change with it. I hope you still like it.

I don't own AcceleRacers.