I want to take a moment to thank everyone for reading this story. I am grateful to all of you who are spending your time reading and hopefully enjoying my work, and I appreciate any feedback you provide. It means a lot to me to be able to create a story based on one of my favorite franchises.
All your power stones, likes, and comments really matter to me.
Happy Thanksgiving to all my readers, whether you're in the U.S. or around the world!
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As the timer reached zero, Torin raised the horn and blew into it with all his might. The sound echoed throughout the area through the speakers, signaling the contestants to zoom off the moment they heard it.
The horn's deep, guttural blast still echoed in the air when fifty Joben T-85s, painted in clan colors, leapt off the starting grid, making their way to the first section of the track. Rayden's bike was midnight blue with a silver Knight sigil on the nose.
Lexi's Serdran green bike streaked past him on the left. Carla of Tov'ra, the special assault squad captain from the CTF event, rode a scarlet bike with twin braids already whipping in the wind. She took the hole shot and never looked back.
The track plunged straight into the red-stone gorge that the locals called Bloodfang Pass. It was eight meters wide at its broadest point, with walls pocked by ancient blaster scars. Rayden dropped into fourth place off the line, knees locked and weight low.
The kid ahead of him, a Vhar'kar boy, braked too early into Widow's Grief, a sharp ninety-degree right turn that dropped fifty meters if you missed the apex.
Rayden stayed on the gas, his bike howling, and threaded the needle between the wall and the rider. Sparks showered from his left knee plate as he moved into third place.
The group ventured into the abandoned Beskar mines, where five illuminated paths awaited the racers, guiding their way. As darkness closed in around them, glow rods shone in hues of crimson and violet, and the air was thick with the taste of dust kicked up by the racers.
Rayden closely followed the lights along the path, staying alert to his surroundings in case anything unexpected occurred. The tunnel gradually descended, taking him deeper into the planet. Along the walls, discreetly placed cameras allowed the audience to see what was happening in the mines.
The tunnel Rayden chose took him on a winding path that went up and down, weaving between stalagmites and stalactites. Finally, the path began to ascend. When he saw daylight at the end of the tunnel, he felt a brief moment of happiness.
However, as he emerged from the tunnel, he realized that the exit was on the side of a mountain, and he began to fall into the forest below.
The racers exploded from the Earth into towering ironwoods, their bark glistening with raindrops that caught the light like scattered jewels.
The air was thick with the rich, earthy scent of wet soil and pine, as the track twisted and turned like a krayt dragon's spine, testing both racer and machine.
Roots and branches lined the track, and each racer had to be careful not to get knocked off.
The audience watched as most of the kids who were not eliminated zoomed through the trees, with animals curiously observing before running away.
Rayden leaned hard into a sharp turn, his shoulder plate grazing the mud-slick ground as he fought to maintain control. The adrenaline surged through him, a heady mixture of fear and thrill. He could never have imagined doing this on Earth. He had watched motorcycle races, but this was ten times better.
Just then, Lexi surged past him on the outside of a switchback, her hair streaming wildly from beneath her half-raised visor, wisps dancing like tendrils of smoke in the breeze.
She shot him a grin that was half challenge—daring him to keep up—and half pure delight, leaving him in a cloud of dust as she disappeared into the thicket.
The dense forest gave way to an expansive grassland dotted with farms, where knee-high grass swayed gently in the brisk wind, and towering crops rose proudly above it.
As Rayden emerged from the shadowy trees, he took in the vast, rolling meadow stretching beneath an almost impossibly blue sky. Each blade of grass sparkled with morning dew, shimmering in the sunlight.
Pressing himself against the cool metal of the tank, his heart raced as he fully opened the throttle, the engine roaring to life. The speed limiter howled like a wounded beast, but its warning was drowned out by the rush of wind in his ears.
As he neared the starting line, the fields opened up, and upon crossing into his second lap, he could see all the vibrant flags lining the track and hear the cheers of the crowd surged around him. Parents and clan members erupted with pride, rallying behind their children.
A surge of excitement filled him as he caught sight of Lexi, gracefully maintaining her lead in second place, while Carla, a brilliant streak of scarlet, was still far ahead, a comet on the horizon. The race was far from over, and Rayden's determination blazed brightly within him.
Coming to the canyon again, the walls felt closer now, and the air was hotter. Everyone knew the racing line, so the engine hummed at full speed with the brakes sounding from time to time. Rayden dove inside a Drav'korr rider, who passed by him as they entered the canyon.
The Drav'korr kid tried to block him, but failed as Rayden flicked the bike hard into Widow's Grief, scraping his right footpeg against the rock. Sparks showered down like celebratory fireworks.
As Rayden returned to the mines, he opted for a different path to make the experience more interesting. However, as he entered the chosen tunnel, he quickly realized that the passage narrowed to barely wider than his handlebars. "Crap, I picked a bad one this time," Rayden thought to himself.
Darkness consumed them again. This time, the glow-rods were dimmer; several had been shattered by racers hitting them. Some people did it on purpose, while others were just bad at driving. Rayden used what little light and the Force to help guide him through the tunnel.
The vibrations from the bike caused a stalactite the size of a speeder's wing to break off above him. Sensing the danger, he yanked the handlebars and slid underneath purely by reflex, narrowly avoiding disaster. Dust and stone fragments pinged off his helmet like hail. He shot out of the mountain still in second place, his heart hammering against his ribs.
The ironwoods greeted him with a cold, wet slap from their branches. Rain had started again—thin, sharp needles that stung his exposed skin. However, the rain mixing with the scent of pine created a unique and pleasant aroma in the air.
Though the rain wasn't terrible, it began to cover his helmet's visor, forcing him to take his hand off the handle to clean it.
Lexi pulled up right next to him, and they could both see Carla just a few meters ahead. They cruised through the forest, enjoying the scenery. It felt more like an afternoon stroll than a competitive race.
As they emerged from the forest, Rayden pushed his speeder to maximum speed, positioning himself behind Carla to take advantage of the slipstream. He remembered hearing about racers on Earth using slipstreaming to gain an advantage over their competitors.
Throughout the final portion of lap two, he slowly gained speed on Carla, and just as they crossed the line for the third lap, he passed her by half a foot. All he needed to do was navigate the turns well and choose a better tunnel this time to take first place.
One last time into Bloodfang Pass. He took the turns as narrowly as possible, the canyon wall just a mere few inches away from his face as he leaned into the turn. He tried to use the brakes as little as possible. Carla was right alongside him, with Lexi not too far behind.
As they entered the tunnels, Rayden decided to follow Carla since she had emerged first in the last two rounds. The tunnel she chose must have been easier. He was correct; it featured a few simple turns and a spiral loop, with no steep inclines or stalactites/stalagmites in the way.
As the three of them sped through the forest, a few animals appeared out of nowhere in front of Rayden and Lexi. Rayden pulled his speeder up and over one animal, but still clipped its head. Meanwhile, Lexi slowed down but still hit another animal, causing her to stop and allowing another racer from Vhar'kar to pass her.
Carla was in the perfect position to avoid all the obstacles, allowing her to pull ahead by five meters by the time Rayden got back on the ground and focused on catching up.
Unfortunately, due to that incident, Rayden was unable to close the gap between himself and Carla before they crossed the finish line.
Carla crossed the line first.
Rayden finished second, just one second behind.
Lexi raced across the finish line in fourth place, fists raised to the sky.
The holoboard flashed gold and emerald:
1st – Carla of Clan Tov'ra
2nd – Rayden of Clan Knight
3rd – Vex of Clan Vhar'kar
4th – Lexi of Clan Serdran
The crowd applauded the skilled driving of the competitors.
Rayden coasted to a stop beside the victory platform and killed the engine. Silence enveloped the area, broken only by the sound of the cheering crowd. He removed his helmet, his hair plastered to his forehead, and his chest heaved from exertion.
Carla was already there, helmet tucked under one arm, her braids dripping with sweat and rainwater. She extended her forearm in the traditional greeting.
"Best race anyone's ever given me," she said, grinning like a dire-cat with a mouth full of feathers. She was not only skilled at driving but also discovered her talent in flying during her training.
Rayden clasped her forearm firmly. "That was a good race. Next time, first place is mine."
"Count on me defending it with everything I've got," she laughed, and she meant every word.
Lexi screeched up beside him, yanked off her helmet, and stood there, breathing hard, her cheeks flushed crimson from the cold and triumph.
"Second place looks good on you, Ray," she said quietly, so only he could hear. Then, softer still, she added, "I'm still waiting on yesterday's answer. No running into obstacles this time."
Rayden exhaled a cloud of white mist into the mountain air. His heart was still racing from the competition, but the biggest challenge of the day suddenly felt like it was standing right in front of him, with green eyes daring him to be brave in a way that had nothing to do with speeder bikes.
"After the ceremony," he promised, his voice rough. "No distractions."
Lexi smiled, pleased to see that he would answer her question.
Above them on the dais, Varn wore a proud expression, happy that his son had shown skill in driving and humility even when beaten. Torin raised a glass to congratulate his grandson on a good race.
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There were a few hours before the start of the survival challenge, and the adult bracket of the competition had begun. This division was turning out to be even more competitive than the youth division.
Rayden and Lexi were seated together, away from the others. They had chosen this spot so they could converse in peace and rest before their final challenge.
"So, Ray, are you going to answer my question? I promise I won't tell anyone," Lexi asked, her curiosity piqued about whether Rayden was Force-sensitive.
Rayden sighed. Even though Lexi acted mature for her age, she was still just a nine-year-old girl. Unlike her, he had memories from a previous life.
He didn't mind telling her, as it wasn't a major secret. In the future, when he started using a lightsaber alongside the Force, it would be so obvious that it would be like having a neon sign above his head saying "Force Sensitive," complete with an arrow pointing at him.
"Yes, Lexi, I am Force sensitive," Rayden replied as he used the Force to bring Lexi's drink towards her slowly.
Due to his beginner-level connection to the Force, the drink was shaking before it fell onto her lap. It took almost all his concentration at that moment to move an object telepathically.
In contrast, his mother had demonstrated how simple it was for her by moving a one-ton boulder while still holding a conversation with him. It looked easy when she did it.
Rayden looked at his system screen and saw that his Force Sensing (Beginner, 490/500) was about to level up.
He had been using the Force to sense his surroundings and help dodge throughout the entire competition, and he was gradually getting better and more connected to the Force.