Sparks

Race for Life

Orla watched the racers coil along the track with Omega who was glued to a pair of binocs feasting her young impressionable eyes on the small race pods below. As usual, Tech watched them through the statistics on his datapad. He didn't need to actually look at them to know what was happening as Wrecker asked for an update, to which he responded that Jet Venim and TAY-0 were in the lead, but he couldn't tell who the victor would be.

Wrecker grunted as he shoved a piece of meat he had taken from a food cart and then offered some to Orla which she accepted with gratitude. They shared an approving nod over the strangely delicious meat as they listened to the commentator from the loudspeakers.

"Safa Toma speedway is not liable for any injury, death or disintegration," it spoke after some echos of blaster fire.

"Well, good to know," Orla said over the concerning silence.

The commenter continued which dragged everyone's eyes over to the screen hovering above them showing a live view of the race, or at least the leading up to the race.

"The lead racers are approaching Gamblers Gulch."

"Do not take the left tunnel!" Cid screamed demands into her comm to TAY-0 who brushed it off claiming that he knew what he was doing. Orla waited for Omega to ask what was in the left tunnel as she was also curious but didn't want to admit she was intrigued by this foul game.

"It's a death trap," Cid answered Omega.

"This whole place is a death trap," Wrecker chimed in.

Wrecker and Omega continued to watch over Cid's shoulder peering into her tablet while Orla's eyes flicked over to Tech's data instead.

"TAY-0's gonna do it!" Their excitement didn't last long as the commenter announced that a "Venim crunch" was targeting their droid. Orla and Tech looked back over as they encouraged TAY-0 to keep going.

"What do you think are the odds of TAY-0 being left for scraps on that track?" Orla didn't need to know the answer as the screen showed TAY-0 spiralling out of control letting Venim cross the finish line.

"I'd say pretty high," Tech answered watching black smoke emerge from the pod.

The group pitched in to help Cid collect the usable scraps and Tech pointed out that some were scavenged but Cid wouldn't hear it. As Wrecker waved TAY-0's salvaged head, Millegi entered

"I'm here to collect Cid,"

"Well darn cause I thought you were here to help clean up the mess you caused," Orla sarcastically remarked, throwing her hands into the air. Cid paused to give Orla a disapproving look before replying.

"You'll get your credits. Just give me some time, I'm good for it."

"That's coming out of our paycheck," Orla whispered to Tech who agreed with an eye roll.

"Unfortunately it's not the first time."

"You are out of time," Millegi strutted towards Cid with a menacing look, ready to take what was not his.

"Wanna step in here," Cid whispered to her 'security', "I did t bring you here for the company."

Wrecker dropped the scraps jumping into defensive mode while Tech reached for his blaster while Orla rested her fingers on her knife. Unfortunately, Millegi's crew were quick to respond as they pointed their weapons before they could move a muscle. In a panic, omega tried to reason with the big ogre.

"Wait! How much does she owe?"

"She owes more than what's in your piggy bank omega," Orla responded seeing where Omega might be going with this. Omega realised this as she looked down, hoping the solution would just fall out of her head.

"Well, we're not done yet," Omega claimed with a positive tone

Millegi didn't believe her as he laughed in response.

"One last race, if you win we'll pay you double."

Tech, wrecker and Orla exchanged conceded glances but didn't step in because they knew it was their only chance.

"If we win, we get Cid."

Cid's eyes softened towards Omega as she selflessly helped her without the need for muscle or violence, just simple negotiations

"Aw, what that's not a fair trade. Can we swap her for... a Wookie?" Orla stepped in on their moment.

"You don't know what you're getting into kid," Millegi smirked.

"Yeah you really don't," Orla agreed bringing her squad in for a team huddle.

"I'm inclined to agree," Tech nodded his head and Wrecker followed along.

"They're gonna hurt Cid if we do nothing."

Orla almost flashed back to her Jedi training. It was drilled into her to help everyone, especially "those who cannot help themselves" and if she was going to keep her Jedi training up she was going to have to listen to her previous masters. She didn't like Cid and she certainly didn't find pleasure in helping her but it was the right thing to do.

"Omegas right, we can at least try. And if not I'll slice their heads off with my you know what and we'll slip out the back."

Omega smiled despite Orla's gruesome description and turned back to Millegi.

"Do we have a deal?"

"We race tomorrow, and I keep Cid collateral."

Orla raised her hands in agreement, "That's perfectly fine with me."

"For your sakes, you better be able to pay up," Millegi warned, leaving with Cid and his crew.

★★★

Tensions were high in the pit as tech and omega buzzed away with their repairs but with every passing minute their optimism was fading away

"This speeder's in worse shape than I thought," Omega sighed disheartened. hoping for some optimism she asked Tech about how TAY-0 was getting along to which he replied that the droid was only "partially operational" but he also said that with a few more adjustments he may be capable of racing which calmed Omega's mind.

"Uh that is hilarious," the droid let out a dry laugh, "I am more than capable. I am ready to... where are my arms and legs." The droid obviously noticed some missing parts.

"That should be all of it," wrecker arrived with the remaining parts of the torn-apart speeder and leaned against Tech's working table as the droid bickered about how to probably assemble him.

"No that's not how you connect the servo. Let TAY-0 instruct you how to do this properly."

Tech gave TAY-0 a are you kidding me glance by tilting his head to the side in silence.

"You know Instead of repairing him we should be taking out that gangster. We..." Wrecker mugged Orla hinting at her Jedi abilities, "could take him easily."

"We," tech caught on to wreckers tone, "cannot apply our military tactics to this situation. Millegi is dangerous and connected. Even if we extract cid and escapes they will seek retribution."

"Rumour has it the last sponsor who failed to pay Millegi is now taking a permanent pit stop in the eastern sand dune," TAY-0 ever so kindly chimed in.

"Which is why we have to win the race and save Cid." Omega viewed this "rescue" as saving Cid rather than avoiding conflict. Omega's heart was to good for this galaxy and Orla feared one day this would be exploited and her kindness would be taken advantage of.

"This is not the first time she has required our assistance due to her dealings with individuals of questionable integrity. It is a problematic pattern." tech referred to Roland Durand and their interactions with the Pykes which almost got Omega captured and the rest of them killed by some very angry irlings

"Uh hey yeah did you forget that you're working on me?" TAY-0 cut in, "Cause it seemed like you're having a conversation about nonsense over there. How about a little less chatter and a little more spanner?" TAY-0 rested his newly fitted arms against the table with the most sass Orla had ever seen from a droid, apart from a few Astromechs.