5 years after the great race of Oban, humans began spreading further into space/. Encountering new enemies and developing the first base on Mars. Of course there were Martians to set things back, but after a discussion with the leader of the Martians, it was cleared and they settled in to dig whatever rare and valuable metals Mars had under its red crusty layer. Among those living on Mars, was the ex great race Pilot, Rick Thunderbolt and his new life. He had to leave Earth after countless managers where begging him to come back into racing. He couldn't explain about his crash on Alwas otherwise everyone would be asking what he was doing there. He had met his future wife and had settled nicely with what he called his retirement fund, which would have him set for 3 generations. Eva on the other hand, returned to live with her father. She grew up strong and more determined to race. Her father left her the deed to Wei racing when he moved on. Eva wasn't interesting in managing, she wanted to race. So she sold the deed on to another person looking for a new job in racing, Rick Thunderbolt. So now there was Thunderbolt racing, Eva racing for them and Don Wei relaxing half way across the globe. When Rick moved back to Mars for the second time, he set up a Mars racing branch for those on Mars interesting in racing. Hundreds applied but there where only 3 pilots brave enough to take the same risks as Rick would. Rick introduced the Rocket seat as a new way of piloting the star racers for those younger racers. People all over where trying new ways of piloting a racer but all failed to make one successful. Now, 25 years since the Great Race of Oban, a new generation continues the tale.
Nathaniel Thunderbolt sat upside down on the sofa, watching the grand prix live from Japan on Earth. That was where is father and brother had been all month. He was bored of waiting for them to come back. He was disappointed he couldn't race, ever again.
"Fantastic, a triple barrel role from the Mars and Earth team. Will they ever slow down?" The commentator commented on the barrel role his brother had just pulled off.
"I can do 4 rolls." Nathan grumpily remarked.
His mother appeared at the door watching him.
"One lap remaining! Who will win in this awesome race…oh my! It appears the home team pulled back a little there. Is something wrong with their ship? We now go live to the pits…"
"He's too scared of the hyper drive." Nathan slyly remarked.
"You know watching that will only make you angrier." His mother sighed.
"Well I want him to crash and burn. I want to race!" Nathan replied as he slid down the couch landing on the floor, head first.
"Maybe when you're older. I thought you had to fix your camera this week?" His mother asked.
"It fixed itself." Nathan replied rolling himself the right way up.
"Well go mope somewhere else. It's not my fault you can't race so don't take it out on me."
His mother left the TV room closing the door. Nathan turned back to the TV and watched as the team finished its last lap.
"And what a wonderful race! Thunderbolt racing has won the managing trophy for over 30 victories this season! But more importantly the well earned victory by the fabulous, and yes ladies, still single, Jay Thunderbolt! What's the story Jay?" The reporter asked his brother. Nathan booed at the t.v.
"Well after Eva decided to take a break, I had to get pulled in to take her place. But this trophy is rightfully hers, so I'll pass it on because if she didn't race all the races before, we wouldn't have won this whole thing." Jay explained.
Nathaniel switched of the TV and stormed out of the house. He only had one place to go where he could complain that Jay as a big jerk, the local mechanics shop.
The recent Molly strolled around the streets with her large group of friends. They just happened to be giggling over the biggest name in the music industry. It was just that same person Molly didn't get on with after meeting him on several occasions.
"Oh my gosh! Did you hear, he's like touring next month! I can't wait I have tickets already for all 5 of us. Backstage too!" Her best friend commented waving five tickets. That meant she was going as well.
"You know what guys, I can't go. I have to stay with my granddad in Japan that month." Molly made up an excuse.
"Don't be stupid. You're practically in with the guy. You always hang around in Thunderbolt racing, you must see him loads!"
"No, he lives on Mars. How can I see someone that lives hundreds of light-years away?" Molly asked.
"Yeah, but I've seen that cute picture of you with him when you where like five. You were covered in paint and you said he was covered in oil and grease from a racer. So don't lie that you've never met him." Her friend commented angrily.
"Fine, so I have met him. I don't like him end of story." Molly carried on walking.
"What! How can you not like that cute thing?"
"Easy. He's a two faced jerk. In front of the cameras, sure he's all nice, but I've met him. He's grumpy, cranky and prefers to be the one in the driver's seat."
"Well, you're just made for each other then."
"Will you stop with that! I'm going to be late so if you don't mind I have a race to attend." Molly stormed off in the biggest mood ever.
She despised that guy, even though her friends thought he was the cutest thing to hit Earth since ever. She entered her pit and climbed up the ladder.
"Remember Molly, no gunner today. Just plane racing. A clean race…Are you listening to me?" Her manager snapped.
"Yeah yeah, I heard you. See you at the finish line." Molly waved and shut the pod tightly.
She flicked the switch and her racer sprang into life. She plugged her music player into the racers speakers and they began pounding out the one band she adored in the world. She raced out onto the start line. Her opponent was racing some old model of what she was racing.
"This is going to be so easy." Molly grinned watching the lights.
She glanced over and saw the large team manager Rick Thunderbolt at the sidelines with his new victor, but her mother wasn't there. Feeling disappointed, Molly turned back to the lights just as they flicked to green and she sped off. Her opponent put up a strong fight, tailing right behind her and ramming her at any opportunity.
"Not today my friend. I want this title."
Molly flicked on the booster engines and sped off, circling the track perfectly. Her opponent drifted further and further behind as she started her second lap.
"This race is so mine."
Molly relaxed a little and eased the thrust on the engines. The fact that she didn't have anyone to talk to in the gunner seat made her feel alone. If she crashed she was going down alone. She checked her fuel levels, they where stable, but she had to stop after this lap otherwise she would break down. She whizzed past the start line for the second time and switched off her booster engines. She noticed her opponent was just behind her, by about 10 seconds or so. She pushed the racer forward drifting apart from the other racer and gradually making her way towards the finish line. Suddenly something struck her ship, directly on the engines. The cheats behind her had guns!
"No! No! This can not happen now!"
Molly raged flicking every switch possible to get it back and steady. Her racer slowed down and she landed inches from the finish line as her opponent crossed it. Molly raised the pod's lid and slumped against the handlebars. Rick had arrived on the scene.
"Don't worry yet Molly. The judges are viewing it again to see if he did shoot at you. If they did it's a victory for you. If not then you'll have to race again." Rick told her.
The large t.v was reading analysing. The crowd was muttering and mumbling to each other. Then the clip of the attack came on. The blasts did come from the ship behind her. It was approved. She had won her first ever junior races.
"Yes! It's a victory! Can you believe that?"
Molly jumped up off her rocket seat and punched the air in triumph. She paused her victory moment and turned to Rick.
"Do you know where my mum went? I heard she just left." Molly asked.
"A secret source told me she had to go to a meeting with a certain president of the earth."
Rick winked at her. She grinned and climbed out of her racer to go and claim her prize. She ran backwards before twisting around to wave at all the people. She felt something she had never felt before. She stepped up onto the podium and collected a trophy with her name engraved on it, with the date and the name of her star racer, The Whizzing Arrow 4.