Disclaimer: I do not own Star Wars The Force Unleashed.
Note: Thank you to my reviewers, readers and the new subscribers as well. A big thanks also to go out to Liisiko, my beta for this story.
CHAPTER 28 - Espionage
Location: Nar Shaddaa
Nar Shaddaa: one of many of the galaxy's blights – maybe not the worst, but certainly one of the top-rankers. Dirty, polluted and filled to the brim with the most unpleasant types of people. It hadn't changed at all, either.
Juno doubted it ever would.
The Rogue Shadow, streamed with deadly elegance over the grimy cityscape that was very much the opposite of the gleaming brilliance of Coronet. The buildings sprawled below them in a chaotic, dizzying manner, interlocking and crushed together so that the walkways twisted and turned this way and that. Some looked so narrow that it would have been difficult to have had two people walking side by side. The walkways, too, were cast into shadow, lit by garish emitters that threw strange shadows across the floor and walls. The main walkways were crowded; countless different species milling back and forth in horrible, unorganized chaos.
Juno wondered whether this swoop event was going to be a similar, riotous affair. All evidence pointed towards a 'yes'. After all, who in Nar Shaddaa would turn down a chance to gamble and party the night away? Even the poor would risk every last credit they could just to try to gamble their way out of debt and poverty. She was suddenly thankful that she'd be there on the ship with PROXY whilst Sia mingled down on the ground with all the party-goers. The flight officer had been more than a little disappointed when she'd found out that Juno wouldn't be going with her. Something about a wasted opportunity to wear the pretty garment she had purchased.
Well, was bullied into purchasing, really.
Sia had taken to studying her datapad intently for the last half hour or so and Galen was just starting to get fidgety. He'd been mostly silent during the journey and whilst she didn't mind the quiet she did miss their conversing. Sia had done most of the talking for them, clearly happy to chatter away whether they were listening or not. Juno had sensed Galen's irritation but he had said nothing to stop her. A good sign, she supposed.
With a short breath, Juno began the preparations for landing, descending down to the private docking bay that had been arranged for their arrival. The wings adjusted to slow acceleration and, in the next few moments, the ship came to land, settling gently down on its landing struts. The roar of the engines quietened to a steady, warm rumble that quivered through the deck beneath their feet and Juno couldn't help but smile just a little. The ship really was something special.
They exited the ship together, Sia leading the way with her all-consuming confidence. Compared to her new team-mates, she was much shorter with a stockier build and tanned skin. Her mass of black hair had been brushed back into a tight ponytail so that it was certain to keep out of her eyes. She was dressed in rather unremarkable clothing; a dark green tank top beneath an unzipped flight jacket and some tatty looking slacks tucked into boots that stopped just short of her knees. Juno looked similar, dressed in black slacks, a white button-down shirt and flat, practical boots.
Behind them, Galen was dressed in shades of brown, the well-worn leather of his jacket soft and comfortable. A long strip of red cloth had been wound loosely around his shoulders in a scarf like manner, partially obscuring his face from view. A strip of the same fabric had been wound around each wrist, held in place by a pair of leather buckles.
Juno fancied that the three of them looked like smugglers themselves, which was the whole point, she supposed.
"Shouldn't they have been here to greet us?" Sia asked, casting a glance around them.
"We're a little early."
"Hm. Okay, hang here a sec and I'll go and see if anyone has seen them around." The flight officer didn't wait for an answer, walking hastily across the small bay to talk to three of the dock workers who had seemingly gathered for a break.
Juno cast Galen a glance. "How did swoop practice go?"
They'd barely seen each other since returning from shore leave; her dragged into helping with the last of the ship repairs and he making preparations for the mission. He didn't look nervous but then again, did he ever?
"There weren't any problems."
"That's good. I'm sure there'll be opportunities for test runs in any case. The event doesn't actually start until tomorrow but they usually have the track open so competitors can get some practice in. If we're lucky, some of them will mess up and won't be able to take part tomorrow." Although in that profession, 'messing up' generally meant death and she didn't exactly want to wish that on anyone.
"I don't think there'll be too much to worry about. I have an unfair advantage."
"With the Force, yes, but you do lack the experience."
"The life expectancy of racers seems poor enough that I can't be too outmatched in that area."
"I wouldn't bet on it." She sighed. He was ever the confident one.
Sia's voice raised in greeting and the two turned to see her hastening forwards to greet someone. Without a word they moved forward to join her, intrigued by the high-pitched voice that had begun to respond.
"Flight Officer now. Finally started getting recognized for all of my hard work. Knew it would only be a matter of time." She had knelt down to grip the hand of the small alien, clearly well-acquainted. "What about you? How have things been?"
The response was a string of high-pitched sounds. It was almost painful to listen to.
"Congratulations. I had no idea. Will you be heading back once you're done here?"
The creature uttered another burst of chirps and bobbed its head enthusiastically. It stood at around one meter in height and was covered in fine brown fur except on its flattened snout and its large, leaf-shaped ears. Its eyes were wide and inquisitive and it turned to regard Juno and Galen with great attentiveness. It lifted a tiny hand in greeting, each small finger tipped with a sharp little claw.
"You can understand what that thing is saying?" Galen asked with some disbelief.
Sia smiled. "Pretty much. I learned a thing or two from a couple of Chadra-Fan pilots a few years back. They have ways of communicating that don't involve words, ways that no other species can comprehend. My understanding isn't perfect and it never will be, but it's good enough to get by." She gestured towards the little bat-faced alien. "This is Moxxu. She and two others will be joining us later."
"And they can't speak Basic?" Galen continued, remembering what Viedas had told them.
"A little. Enough to get by. They understand it well enough, though, so watch your manners." She gave him a large smile and turned back to Moxxu. "This is Starkiller and Captain Eclipse. Where are the others?"
This time the little alien replied in Galactic Basic - as if to prove that she could. "They near." The words were spoken in a nasal voice that was almost as high-pitched as their native tongue. "I to show you the way."
They followed the miniscule alien down into the filthy labyrinth of the city, relying on her to find the way. Juno tried to keep up with the twists and turns but by the end she wasn't sure she'd be able to find her way back to the ship without aid. A quick glance at Galen told her he was feeling equally as lost. They shared a brief look before Sia dropped back to walk between them. "Claustrophobic, isn't it?"
"Words cannot describe my disappointment at having to come back here." Juno replied.
"It's not exactly my idea of a good holiday destination." Sia agreed with a laugh. "Not for us, anyway. For smugglers, pirates and criminals, though? This must be a dream come true."
"If that was supposed to make me feel better…it didn't."
Sia threw an arm around Juno's shoulders. "Cheer up. We're only here for a couple of days. Perhaps our next planet will be a tropical paradise? Sunshine, sparkling oceans and an abundance of good food and drink."
"That's just wishful thinking."
"Hey, it could happen."
"No." Juno replied with a wry smile. "It really couldn't."
"Meet here." Moxxu interrupted in her incredibly high-pitched voice. Juno glanced across to see where exactly 'here' was. She'd been expecting it to be some sort of seedy cantina or shady warehouse. In fact, the building was a workshop and though it looked rather rundown and untidy, the smell of engine oil and metal brought with it a great sense of comfort.
Two droids were bustling back and forth on errands and, at the far side, working underneath the glare of intense lamps, was a middle-aged mechanic. His back was facing them and he didn't pause to look up, even at Moxxu's trill call. It hadn't gone completely unheard, however, as the sound of shuffling movement was swiftly followed by two more Chadra-Fan stepping into view. The miniature aliens erupted into chatter, so excitedly and so swiftly that Sia looked unable to keep up.
"That'll be Okiier and her brother, Cheemi." She introduced after a failed attempt at translating.
"How can you tell?"
"There are subtle differences but it's easier if you're familiar with them. Moxxu's snout has a slightly pinker skin tone and Cheemi has this small notch in his ear from a scuffle with some monstrous creature he crossed paths with as a youth – or that's what I'm told, anyway."
"And Okiier?"
"The one in the orange jacket. He's an old family friend, apparently." Sia turned her dark eyes towards them. "They're a very forgiving people and difficult to offend, so don't be too nervous around them, okay?"
"Nervous?" Galen looked somewhat amused at that.
Only then did the mechanic straighten his back, groaning in pain from being hunkered over his workstation for so long. "What's all this fuss about, eh? Can't a man work in peace?" His eyes went accusingly to the three Chadra-Fan who were still talking loudly amongst themselves. The little aliens seemed not to have even heard him.
With a grunt, the man raked a hand through his disheveled hair; unkempt, greasy and cut with an uncaring hand. The hair on his face was perhaps a little too long to be called stubble. His eyes went straight to Galen. "McLeod, isn't it? About time you got here."
"Excuse me?" He bristled.
"You heard. I've been waiting. It's in storage out back. The droid will show you through."
"The bike?" Galen ventured.
"Of course! What else?" He lifted his hands in exasperation and gave the droid shuffling next to him a rough kick. It gave a tuneless whistle and rolled across the room, beeping at them as it passed.
"Go on. What are you waiting for? After it." The old mechanic urged. "I'll be with you in a minute."
They followed the droid through a large entrance which had once been a working door instead of the hole in the wall it was now. The room beyond was filled with all sorts of odd mechanisms that had been brought for fixing, selling or dismantling. Engine parts for discontinued ships. The remnants of an old pod racer had been dumped in one corner, partially concealed by an extremely ancient looking generator. The building was more a museum of antiques than a mechanic's workshop.
"Wow." Galen's less than impressed voice drew their attention. "This is like taking a step into the past. I dread to think what this swoop is going to be like."
The droid rolled to a halt next to a suspiciously swoop bike shaped object that was concealed beneath a huge dust sheet. Galen wasted no time in grabbing the sheet and casting it aside to reveal the vehicle beneath.
It took a moment for him to absorb what he was seeing, but it certainly wasn't what he had been expecting.
"There's...no rust." Were the only words that came to mind.
Sia shouldered past him to take a look, whistling with appreciation. "That's a pretty fine machine you've got there. Well…it looks like one, anyway. I couldn't tell you whether or not the exterior is covering some rubbish engine in there, but it sure does look the part."
Some of the panels on the bodywork were brand new – clearly having replaced some that had been badly damaged – and they gleamed brilliantly against the slightly duller paintwork of those that had been left in place. In comparison to the bike Galen had used as practice, this one looked lighter and leaner, many of the panels missing altogether to show off the bike's innards. The front was beveled, the handlebars angled backwards into a loosely constructed 'V' shape and the seat set lower into the body – all to help with the aerodynamics. The bike itself was a dark, conifer green, striped along one side with a single white line.
"I don't think you'll need to worry about it. This beauty has substance." Juno replied, edging closer to slide a hand against the smooth green panels on the front of the bike. Her fingers sought a blemish in the metal and found none.
"How do you know?" Galen asked.
"The mark there on the repulsorlift drive." She indicated it. "It's an older model but well-known. The drives that come from Kuat are extremely well put together."
Arching a brow at her, Galen swung into the seat and glanced down at the display set in the very center, just beneath the handlebars. "I didn't know you were that interested in swoop racing."
"A guilty pleasure, is it?" Sia added teasingly.
Juno cleared her throat awkwardly. "Uh, no. Nothing like that. They used to race them back home, that's all."
"Perhaps the lady should be the one racing, eh?" The mechanic grated as he stumped towards them on a bad leg. Behind him, the three Chadra-Fan had been distracted by an odd contraption that sat to one side of the workshop, chattering in slightly quieter, more thoughtful voices than they had been before.
The mechanic drew up alongside the bike. "Hey, hey, don't go pressing buttons. That's a delicate piece of equipment you've got there. Show some respect."
Galen rolled his eyes but lifted his hands clear to avoid a lecture.
"Okay, listen. I can get this towed down to the racing arena for you in time for some practice runs. You only get three test laps so don't waste them and, for goodness sake, don't crash. You smash this bike and there's no way you'll be competing tomorrow – even if you do come out of it alive. I've only got one pair of hands."
"I'm not going to crash."
The mechanic grunted. "You're confident about that now. But just wait until you get out there. I hope you know what you're doing because there's some real tough competition."
"That's my problem. Not yours."
The mechanic grunted in acknowledgment.
"When can you get it to the track?"
"Give me an hour and it'll be there."
"Starkiller still not back, yet?"
"No." Juno replied distractedly. "He probably won't be for a while."
"His food will get cold." Sia replied, waving the bag she'd just collected from the closest take-out. "It looks really interesting, too."
"Is that another word for disgusting?"
Sia shrugged. "Interesting sounded better." She rummaged through the bag and lifted out one of the containers, peering curiously at its contents. "Some kind of crunchy plant thing?" She made a guess. "It doesn't look that bad."
"You don't even know what you ordered?"
"I let them choose." And at Juno's look she added: "Hey, it's called being adventurous. You might like it but you won't know until you try. Come on. Take it." She waved one of the disposable containers in Juno's direction and the blonde pilot reluctantly took it from her.
In the end, it didn't taste all that bad and as they ate, Sia brought up mission detail on the display. "Okay, might as well do some work whilst we eat, right? Starkiller gets the easy job. He just has to race that bike. We'll need to do the investigative work to make sure it all goes to plan."
"You and the Chadra-Fan. I'll be here with PROXY." Juno corrected.
Sia made a face. "I can't believe you're going to stay here. What about the dress you bought?"
"This is work, Sia." Juno replied firmly.
"What and you can't have fun when you're working?"
"Four pairs of eyes on the ground is more than enough." Juno reasoned. "We're not expecting trouble in any case. As far as we know, there's not been a whisper of rebellion at all. There's no reason for them to suspect us being there."
"I wouldn't be so sure. The kind of lives these operatives lead? They'll be paranoid for sure."
Juno smiled. "You're not going to change my mind."
The flight officer huffed and shoveled more food into her mouth. After a moment, she pointed at the screen with her fork. "You think we ought to have one of the Chadra-Fan by the emergency exit?"
"We can alter the patrol route to go past there, but we don't want them moving around too much in case that draws suspicion."
"If I positioned myself there by the stage, I might be able to get a semi-decent view, especially with my heels on."
"Heels? What'll you do if you need to run?"
"Kick them off." Sia replied easily.
Juno shook her head in amusement. "Honestly, you will not be blending in."
"Hey, Eclipse, I don't know what swoop events you've been to, but the ladies are known to dress up, you know."
"Really?"
"Yes, really. It's hurtful that you don't believe me." She smiled. "Don't worry. I'll be saying 'I told you so' before this is done."
"Oh, I'm sure."
The com-link crackled to life and Galen's voice came across the line. "Juno? You there?"
"I'm here."
"Here eating your food!" Sia interrupted in a raised voice.
"She's actually doing you a favor." Juno added.
"I'm sure. Listen. I just wanted to tell you that I'm not going to be back until later. I ran into a bit of trouble on my second test lap."
"A bit of trouble?"
"It's nothing that can't be fixed in time for tomorrow but I'm getting roped into helping since it was evidently my fault."
"What did you do exactly?"
"One of the panels came loose. Apparently an aggressive driving style can do that." He didn't sound at all convinced.
"More likely it wasn't bolted down correctly."
"I tried telling him that."
Juno smiled. "He probably didn't take that very well."
"Not at all."
"Okay, you have fun and we'll see you later."
Transmission cut, Juno turned back to look at the display, trying to direct her thoughts to the task at hand.
"We've done all the preparation we can." Sia added. "Now all that's left is to get the job done. This time tomorrow and it'll be in full sway."
It was hard to get immersed into the atmosphere watching from the surveillance cameras, but the party was already in full-swing by the time Sia arrived. The Chadra-Fan were already in place; the siblings, Moxxu and Cheemi, having arrived perhaps half an hour before, with Okiier close behind.
Juno had sliced into surveillance in order to keep visual tabs on the goings on. PROXY was there to offer an extra pair of eyes – of which she was very grateful. It would have been so much more difficult juggling between four people by herself.
"You got a visual?" Sia asked, hiding her mouth behind her glass.
"I have."
"Good. I've just spotted our first target."
"Where am I looking?"
"Just to the left of the stage. I'll turn my head towards him briefly now."
Sia was standing amongst a gathering of people, the com-link concealed in the frilled strap on her dress. She had been right, too. There were women of many different species decked out in pretty clothes, hanging on men's arms like sparkling accessories. Unsurprisingly, a good many of them were Twi'lek; all long legs and bountiful curves. Juno didn't think she'd ever seen a Twi'lek female that could be considered ugly. Being on a place like Nar Shaddaa only made their beauty stand out all the more vividly; the bright colors of their skin practically glowing against the dull backdrop of the city.
Juno's eyes scanned the displays until she found who they were looking for. "Got him. That's Miller."
"Who's he with?"
A pause. "No one we know."
"I'll mingle close by."
"Okay. Be careful."
Juno watched nervously as Sia merged with those around her. She seemed very much in her element, enjoying the party even though she was fully aware of its seriousness. Her arm was caught by a man of similar age and she swung around to engage him in conversation. The image was far too poor to tell, but Juno suspected the woman's eyes would be moving subtly around even as she spoke. She may have been a flight officer by trade but she could have been an actress.
"What have you got on your displays, PROXY?"
"Okiier just left range." The droid replied. "No suspect activity."
"Keep an eye out. We need to be ready. We've still got two other targets to identify."
"Of course, Captain."
"The first race is due to start soon, isn't it?" Juno tried not to sound worried.
"Fifteen minutes. The racers are preparing."
"Galen hasn't tried to make contact, has he?"
"Negative. He's currently unreachable."
"I really hope that bike holds together."
Galen flipped the visor down over his face and tightened the scarf about his neck even as all those around him began to rev their engines. The sound was immense, drowning out the excitable commentator who had been in the process of introducing all of the racers in turn.
Years of training and well honed skills with the Force made it easy to block out the sound and focus on the task at hand.
He settled himself into the seat, gripping the accelerator with a steady hand, eyes up; watching for the signal. Waiting for the beginning of the race.
The bikes could have not been more individual if they had tried. They came in an array of different colors and body shapes, all with heavy modifications that made them impossible to predict. Some were huge, hulking machines whilst others were slender and sleek-nosed. The racers, too, were just as unique as their bikes; coming in an array of different species and ages. One of the most popular racers was a female Rodian, in her middle-years but apparently talented, going by her track record. She was waving to the crowds who were hollering their appreciation.
For a brief moment, the commentator's jovial voice rose up above the sound of bikes and though Galen didn't quite hear it, the increase in volume seemed to be signal enough. The last of the riders settled into position and the tension mounted. His fingers tensed against the accelerator and the bike gave a tremendous roar as if fighting to break free from its bindings.
Green lights flared and the bike surged forwards with no hesitation at all, gathering speed at a tremendous rate. The low 'chuh, chuh, chuh' increased in tempo until it became a single, high-pitched note; shrill in his ears.
He threw out his senses to locate the other racers, determining where they were and where they might go. They were scarily close and one wrong move could mean a horrible collision. He'd forgotten to take that into consideration when doing his solo test laps.
Leaning into the first turn, he pressed harder on the accelerator in an attempt to pull ahead only to be thwarted by a neighbor who swerved into his path; forcing him to release the speed to avoid a collision. He heard the scrape of metal on metal somewhere behind him and risked a glance over his shoulder. A spray of sparks lit the air as two bikes leaned in against one another.
Up ahead, the circuit dropped steeply, forcing Galen and the others to adjust their speed to prevent themselves from hurtling out of control. The leader crested the drop and the glare of the replusorlifts left a white spot in his vision as it dropped down and out of sight.
Galen was fifth into the fall, the bike's engine laboring as it sought to get back onto a comfortable level.
He used the Force to cushion his landing and propel him forwards—which was lucky, because a moment later and he heard the horrible screeching, explosive sound of a bike crash-landing behind him. The heat of the fire rippled across his back, the shockwave buffeting the swoop beneath him.
Leaning into the wind he squeezed the accelerator and felt the spring of speed as the machine reacted. The bike certainly sounded happier at faster speeds and along the straight he finally began to gain on the four leading bikes. The sound of the vehicles in the enclosed tunnel was a horrifying steady rumble that was deafening in its intensity.
Beside him a black bike, geared up like a miniature ship, began to gain on him. Its side was badly scored from a near-miss. It's rider, a man perhaps only five years his senior, threw him a callous smile.
It was hard to focus on driving fast whilst performing delicate operations with the Force, but after a moment of concentration Galen managed to loosen one of his rival's components just enough for the bike to start losing power.
He watched with some amusement as the man's smirk darkened with fury and then he was dropping behind, leaving Galen to claim fifth place once again.
But fifth place was nowhere near good enough.
They were under the Refugee Sector now and ahead, the four bikes had put even more distance between them and him. To make matters worse, he could sense three others beginning to gain on him, forcing him to apply more speed despite the hard left that was coming up. This corner had almost been his undoing during his first test lap and he was certain he was going faster now than he had been then. That was confirmed when he felt the bike begin to loose control as he turned and for a moment he believed that his eagerness to catch up would end with him crashing out in the first lap.
When he cleared the corner – by barely a meter from the wall – he realized that all his practice must have paid off somewhat.
Behind him he heard (and felt) the result of one unlucky rider who had overshot the turn.
Miller's attention had turned to the race the moment it had begun, taking a seat on one of the comfortable couches. A woman in radiant attire held up a display so that he could see the events without joining the masses.
Sia stood close by, her head turned strategically so it appeared she was watching the big screen suspended from the ceiling. The man who had hooked her into conversation earlier was still close by, throwing her appreciative looks.
Juno warned her.
"Can you blame him?" Came Sia's retort. "I do look gorgeous in this dress."
"It's definitely drawing attention."
"So long as it's not one of our targets, its fine. Stop worrying." She raised a glass to her lips. "Can you see the race?"
"PROXY's monitoring." Juno replied. She didn't think she could watch it. It would make her nervous and then she wouldn't be able to concentrate on protecting Sia.
"I wish I'd placed—"
"—Your admirer is coming back."
Sia turned smoothly to face the young man and, with a pleasant laugh, agreed to a drink.
Growling under her breath, Juno checked Moxxu and Cheemi's positions. The female Chadra-Fan seemed to be watching the race with great enthusiasm, waving her arms and cheering along with all of the others. Juno hoped that it was just an act but she couldn't be entirely sure.
"Did Moxxu place a bet?"
"She did, Captain." PROXY replied and, at seeing Juno's annoyed expression, added: "On Master to win, of course."
"She's not here to gamble."
"The Alliance provided the Chadra-Fan with funds to help with their task, Captain. It would be correct to assume that all funds won through gambling will be returned."
"I wouldn't assume anything." She paused, casting the droid a wary look. "How's he doing?"
The droid briefly turned back to one of the displays. "Good news. He's finally gaining on the lead racers."
Nar Shaddaa's docks were in full swing when the first of the swoop bikes came hurtling by at top speeds. Some of the workers paused to watch or scurried to get well clear of the track in case an unlucky racer clipped some debris and went hurtling off course.
A huge construction crane had been attempting to lower a container – the size of a small house - down onto a section of the track, the load swinging as it slowed.
The lead racer drove fearlessly beneath it, not even hesitating for a moment. The three behind it snaked to avoid the container's shadow - just in case it continued to lower - and Galen decided to follow their lead, which was lucky, because the crane did indeed continue its descent.
After the docks, the track coiled back around into another deafening tunnel and Galen urged the swoop faster, closing that gap just as he crossed over into the second lap. He was so close now that if they made a mistake he would be on them a split second later.
Almost as if he had willed it with the Force, a plume of smoke gushed from the engine of the rider in third place and within seconds the machine began to veer out of control as fire took hold.
Quicker than the eye could follow, the bike turned too far to the left and in the next moment was spinning haphazardly; lurching up into the air. The rider was thrown free, rolling in a flail of lifeless limbs and the bike careered into the ceiling in an eruption of flame and ear-shattering sound.
Galen ploughed through the smoke and felt it burn sharply at his eyes and the back of his throat.
Fourth.
He was making progress, but it was slow progress and he wasn't sure whether – at the rate he was going – he'd be able to take the lead position before the race was over. Just ahead of him, second and third were neck and neck, trading positions as they attempted to gain the advantage over one another.
Galen used the Force to guide him and found that, with senses extended, he could more easily react to oncoming obstacles. On the straight, he turned to check behind him and was satisfied that there was enough distance between him and the next man that he didn't have to worry about his position.
He flattened down further in his seat, ignoring the dry air that got in around his visor, and concentrated on moving forward.
Ahead of him a gush of air from an active sewer vent spewed onto the track and he adjusted his speed so that it cut off again before he reached it. Above him another vent opened up and, even though it wasn't a direct hit, the effect of it made the bike sway dangerously. Gritting his teeth, Galen struggled to regain control, attempting to swing the bike back into a straight line. And all the time he was aware of his speed and its sudden drop as he finally pulled the vehicle back into obedience.
He hit the third and final lap at an excessive speed that launched him into the air but saw him setting down with surprising smoothness – or surprising for the watchers, anyway. The Force was good at softening a long fall and what worked for him also worked well for the bike. It gave a high, keening sound as he rode – flat out – after the leaders, gaining on them so quickly now that he wondered whether they had slowed down.
A second later and he realized that they had slowed down.
The lead rider swerved to narrowly miss a blast of air from a vent set into the floor of the track and behind, the second and third were forced to drop back and swerve wide. With lightning-fast reflexes, Galen angled the bike, clipping the vent and cursing loudly as the turbulence from it sent the bike scraping against the ground, sending a bright shower of sparks into the air.
And then, a second later and another vent opened up.
The air smashed into the lead racer as if it were made of solid stone and the three remaining riders – including Galen – were forced to release the accelerators and swerve wide.
Galen couldn't help but wonder whether someone was setting the vents off on purpose to make things more exciting for the onlookers.
The Rodian was in the lead now and he was closing in fast, drawing up alongside second place who rode a blazing red bike with an elongated body, sculpted to look like shallow, slanted wings. Their eyes met with a clash of determination and then the rider leaned sideways, intending to force Galen to drop back and retreat.
Unfortunately for the other rider, Galen wasn't one for 'backing down'.
He gritted his teeth, tightened his grip on the handlebars and with the Force as his ally, gave the other rider's bike the smallest of shoves. Even the tiniest of motions, however, seemed to be enough. The rider's eyes widened as his bike shifted unexpectedly and the moment of distraction was all Galen needed to shoot past him and make for the leader.
"Who's Okiier talking to? Can you see them from where you are, Sia?"
"I'm kinda busy here, Juno." Music and wild laughter swept in alongside Sia's lowered voice.
Juno, with an infuriated huff, hastened to contact Moxxu instead. The little female was currently standing on one of the bar stools chittering with unrestrained excitement. Galen must have been doing well.
"Moxxu. Moxxu. Can you hear me?"
A high-pitched trill fluctuated over the link followed by a single word: "Yes!"
"Do you know who Okiier is talking to?"
The bat-faced alien jerked to attention, lowering the arm she had been waving in the air as she turned to regard the rest of the partygoers. "Okiier? Not here."
Juno steeled her patience, grinding her teeth as she sought a way to communicate more clearly to the alien. "Moxxu. Okiier is talking to someone. Who?" Perhaps it would have been easier, after all, to have just spoken to Okiier through his com-link. She'd avoided doing that in case she was overheard and raised suspicions.
"Okiier not here." Moxxu repeated, slower.
"Thanks." She did her best to keep the sarcasm out of her voice as she opened a channel back to Sia. "Still busy?"
"Starkiller's about to win his race." Sia replied. "People are distracted. Talk."
"Okiier is talking to someone and I can't get through to Moxxu. I need you to check it out."
"Where is he?"
A quick glance at the screens confirmed the Chadra-Fan was still in place. "To the left of the bar. Can you get there okay?"
"My glass has just emptied. Don't worry, Juno. Leave it with me."
Juno thought of asking Sia just how much she had drunk already. A second later and she thought better of it. She'd rather not know.
The strip-lights in the tunnel streaked past in a show much like a jump into hyperspace, dizzying and intense as he counted down the moments before the finishing line.
The female Rodian was only a couple of seconds ahead now, her petite body bent so far forwards that she seemed almost part of the bike. She turned smoothly into the first of the final bends and he followed her path, trying to foresee a place he could cut in. He could maybe risk a little more speed and cut in on the inside...
He closed the gap a little more, not letting up on the accelerator for a single moment. He felt the bike begin to lose traction – but only for a moment – and then he shifted his weight, leaning into the next corner.
One more turn to go…
Expertly, the Rodian began to move over to close off the opening and prevent him from passing. Gritting his teeth, he had to admit he felt a little guilty about cheating his way to the winning podium. She was a skilled racer and did deserve to win. Unfortunately he couldn't afford to lose.
By sheer luck, a vent released another jet of air ahead and the Rodian immediately released the accelerator to try and time it through safely. She'd clearly raced the track plenty of times and seemed unperturbed by this last minute threat. But Galen needed to win. For him this was either win or lose. Second place would not be enough for him to complete his mission and he didn't want to have to admit failure again. Gritting his teeth he ducked his head, ignoring the dull cramping of the muscles in his lower back and shoulders, and pulled the Force into a tight shield around him and the bike. He just hoped that it was close enough that it wouldn't raise suspicions.
Perhaps people would believe that the speed had granted some sort of safety against the gush of air…
He thought he heard the Rodian call out as he passed her – a warning maybe, or perhaps a victorious laugh – but it was impossible to tell, either way.
In the next second he'd hit the air and he felt it buffet angrily against the shield. The bike began to slide but the momentum carried him on through, dropping the shield the moment he was back into safe range.
And then he was shooting across the finishing line, jubilant in his victory. His fingers relaxed their grip on the accelerator lever and he opened the flaps on the bodywork to slow the swoop down, enabling him to turn off of the track to await his next race. As he did so, he fumbled for the com-link strapped to his wrist and switched it on.
"Juno?"
"I'm here." Her reply came so swiftly she had clearly been expecting him to make contact. "Congratulations on your first win. Perhaps don't cut it so close next time?"
He smiled. "One down, two to go."
To be continued...
Next update: 21st April