Chapter 5
Geda felt the small rocks crush and twist beneath her booted feet as she turned right up the slight incline. This was a part of racing she always did by herself; the circuit walk. This was a small but mighty achievement for the locals here. Just under two klicks, the Quarry Run boasted nine turns and a downhill corkscrew that led to the finish line. As she walked down and around the corkscrew she felt only excitement. Most beings would be nervous at the thought of riding an unprotected bike three hundred klicks per hour around a rock quarry. Many would be nervous at the impending individual competition of themselves verse one other, without anyone else to shoulder the blame of failure like in Bolo or Smashball. And nearly everyone would be near regurgitation at the prospect of betting their future tonight. But that was why in a galaxy of hundreds of trillions, there were few racers.
She walked back down the lighted straight towards the start line. Garc was already on his swoop, laughing easily with his mechanic. The gathered crowd alerted him to Geda behind him and he glanced over his shoulder.
"Ready girl?" he asked as he fiddled with the helmet in his lap. There was no antagonizing tone in his voice. Unlike his entourage, she knew the Nosaurian respected her skill and courage, and counted her as a member of the brethren of beings who risked everything for speed and mastery over machine.
"I am" she replied coolly and walked up to her own swoop where her uncle was waiting.
"how's it look?" he asked as he handed her the helmet she had been wearing and designing since she was eight.
"Six lefts, three rights. Passing zones at two and eight" she answered as she accepted the red heavily stickered helmet.
"looks like a good bike. But remember you only got one lap to get the steering to your liking."
She nodded as she straddled the swoop. Next to her Garc's bike hummed to life and she hit the ignition button as her own bike vibrated to life between her legs. She looked to her left and the diminutive alien gave her a nod and jumped off the line. She followed lazily as both riders swerved down the track at slow speeds like a couple of old drunks trying to get home safely after a night at the cantina.
A minute later their warmup lap was done and they were back at the line. Kaia and her supplicants boarded a makeshift viewing tower made from an old quarry surveyor, while the rest of the gambling hall denizens clambered over the old abandoned worker barracks to get a better view.
In front of Geda a scantily clad blue skinned Twi'lek held a blue flag with three white horizontal stripes down by her bare thigh. Geda and Garc began revving their engines before the dancer ripped the flag above her head and began waving it frantically.
The two racers leapt from the line, flashing past either side of the starter. The disturbed air pushing up her short skirt to raucous applause from the crowd. Applause that continued as Geda took the lead on turn eight and never handed it back, eventually crossing the finish line three laps later a whopping twelve seconds ahead of her competitor.
And it was Garc who was the first to congratulate her as he pulled up alongside her. "Great ride. Kaia would be foolish not to back you. You got it kid" the Nosaurian said before pulling away.
Her uncle was next in line as he ran up from the side of the track and gave her a crushing hug. "I never doubted for a second".
"your shaking says otherwise" she said sardonically before slapping his back enough to get him to break the hug.
He straightened quickly. "Here she comes".
Geda turned to see Kaia and two other lavishly dressed aliens she had not seen before the race.
"So?" Cyrus called as the trio walked onto the track.
"So" Kaia parroted back with her arms spread wide. "Let me introduce you to Toth T'rund and Din Fonti" she said, indicating the Devaronian and Gossam beside her. "Toth runs two of the three biggest casinos on Tralus, and Din Fonti is here on behalf of the Tralus Tourism Board."
"Nice to meet you all" Geda said, slightly unsure of herself for the first time since arriving.
Kaia clearly sensed her skepticism and decided to cut to the chase. "together we will be jointly sponsoring a team with you as our pilot."
Geda couldn't help but to start to squirm with excitement on the bike. But Uncle Cyrus put a hand on her shoulder. "what's the salary?"
Now it was the Devaronian who spoke up. "It will be all performance based of course".
"What do you mean of course?" Cyrus asked, more than a little indignant.
"You have to understand, forming a team this close to the start of the season with such an unproven commodity, you would not find a better offer" the long necked but short Gossam said matter-of-factly.
"I beg to di-" Cyrus started with a shake of his head.
"-I'm in" Geda announced, dismounting from her bike to block out her uncle more than anything.
All three gave relieved smiles and Kaia stuck out her hand. "I believe this is the start of a prosperous team, don't you?"
Geda took it enthusiastically, all pretense of cool self-assuredness lost in the excitement. "I do. I really do".
