had begun.
"It's time, Kira," Jin said. "Conditions are clear. You are a go."
Directly in front of her, a racer bashed his board into another's, the sharp crunch of metal warning that neither was likely to continue in the race.
Kira eyed them "Exactly what criteria are you using to call that clear?"
"Aren't you the Phoenix? The mythical being who rises from her own ashes?" Odin teased. "So rise, little firebird. This should be nothing for you."
"Do a couple of stupid things in your youth, and you never hear the end of it," Kira muttered, stomping the heel of her back foot down.
The board roared to life, its rumble vibrating in her bones, bringing with it a sense of homecoming.
"Looking good across the board," Odin said. "No signs of stress. All systems are well within the green. You are clear for your run."
Kira started to shift her weight forward when movement on her left had her veering abruptly.
“What the hell? Did that racer just try to dethrone me?” Kira shouted.
Moonbeam’s board roared as she lifted off.
“She didn’t just try; she nearly succeeded,” Jin said. “That racer’s got skills.”
Kira cursed and followed.
In seconds, she cleared the snarl in front of her, weaving back and forth through the struggling bodies.
She passed under the Haldeel official, noting how his gaze seemed to follow her. Then she was free with no more time to worry about others.
Kira followed the efficient movements of the other racer.
"How far behind the lead am I?"
There was the sound of clicking. "Eighteen seconds."
Kira whistled. "They're booking it."
"Do you blame them with you on their tail?"
Not really.
"You've got company," Jin said in the next moment.
Kira looked over, finding Raider closing in on her port side. In front of her, Moonbeam slowed way down, nearly clipping the front of Kira’s board.
Kira dove right, swinging wide for the next obstacle.
“Damn it,” she cursed when Moonbeam and Raider followed.
“They’re trying to shut you down and hamper your movements,” Jin warned.
Unless Kira could create enough of a space around her during the ascent, she wouldn't be able to use the dead man’s plunge maneuver on her way down.
"We knew that was a risk." Kira leaned left, using the curve of the berm to pick up speed. The other two matched her, refusing to allow her to widen the distance.
“It’s strange. They make a surprisingly good team,” Kira observed as she shot over the rhythm section, trying to stay as close to the ground as possible.
Raider remained right on her tail, using her as a wind draft to conserve energy.
"Put space between you and them," Jin warned.
"Don't you think I'm trying?"
Raider wasn't like the other racers. He knew all her tricks—some he’d even taught her. This other racer was just as tenacious.
"I thought he forgave you last night," Jin grumbled.
"That doesn't mean he'll take it easy on me."
He wouldn't be Raider otherwise.
"Contact right. Break," Jin warned.
Kira flipped her board, shooting under the laser fire with barely any space to spare. The world spun, and Kira caught sight of Raider and Moonbeam doing the same.
Unfortunately, the racer behind them wasn’t as lucky and took a direct hit. His board flared, his altitude dropping.
Odin cackled. "Nicely done. Show them true terror."
"Yes, because that's our real purpose for being here," Jin said in a sarcastic voice.
"There's no reason we can't do two things at once," Odin pointed out.
Kira ignored them as she closed in on a piece of track that doubled in on itself, diving through a tunnel as the laser fire flashed almost in slow motion. She burst into the sunlight, heading immediately into the next section, the last one before the tower.
"Protect your rear flank. That Moonbeam looks like they’re about to dump you," Jin advised.
Kira reacted quickly, sliding out of the way, only for Raider to try to bump her board from the other side.
Kira shoved at his shoulder. He didn't go down, but then, she hadn't expected him to.
In retaliation, he grabbed her arm. Kira twisted it, slipping out of his grip.
The tower approached, along with the backs of the pack leaders. Skye and Devon jockeyed for first place, the young Haldeel muscling ahead of the Tuann for the first part of the ascent.
Kira hit her thrusters, shooting past Raider and the other racer. Wind whipped around her as she fixed her eyes on the beacon high above that marked the turnaround point.
By this time, the race had led them far outside the city, lakes and ponds spreading beneath as the course wound lazily between them.
Gravity