Jedi Voyage #3 - The Deadly Tournament

Chapter Nineteen

  Doby and Deland paced nervously by the Podracer. "Maybe we should check the intake valves again," Doby said.
  "We've checked them three times," Anakin said. "Everything is fine. We're ready to go."
  He was strapped into his seat, his goggles pushed up on his head. The official starter stood talking to the Podrace organizer. Hekula was receiving last-minute instructions from Sebulba.
  It all felt so familiar. He could be back in the Most Espa Grand Arena again. His mother was watching. Qui-Gon and Padmé were there. He wanted to do his best for them.
  Anakin swallowed against the emotion that swelled in him. He was older now. Things were more complicated. His emotions would never be so simple again. But here in the cockpit doubt fell away and uncertainty had no place. Left behind was only one goal: winning. "All right, then," Deland. He held his arm carefully against his side, and his face was place. "Good luck, Anakin. We won't forget this. Neither will Djulla."
  "We shouldn't have let you, but we had to." Doby leaned in to speak to him earnestly. "Don't worry. You're going to win. Just don't crash."
  Anakin grinned. "Right."
  "Come on, Doby, you're making him nervous." Deland yanked his brother away.
  Ry-Gaul approached Anakin. He stood by the Podracer, his gray eyes scanning the spectators who had gathered on the stands near the finish line. "You must use the Force to stay ahead. There is darkness here, but I cannot locate it."
  It was the longest speech Anakin had ever heard Ry-Gaul give. Anakin nodded. "I feel it, too." But along with the darkness, he felt the excitement of the race to come.
  Tru waved at him from the sidelines. Anakin gave him a thumbs-up, just as he had to his best friend Kitster so many years ago.
  "Start your engines," the race official called.
  Anakin engaged his engines. They roared to life. Ry-Gaul's mouth moved, but he couldn't hear the words. It didn't matter. He knew what Ry-Gaul had said.
  May the Force be with you.
  The noise of the powerful engines of eight Podracers was deafening. It bounced off the high cave walls. The floor shook like a groundquake. Besides himself, Hekula, and Aldar Beedo, Anakin recognized Gasgano, Elan Mak, and Ody Mandrell. The last two Podracers were Scorch Zanales, a Daimlo, and Will Neluenf, heir to the first great Tatooine Podracer, Ben Neluenf.
  Anakin felt the power of the engines under his hands. He felt warm and liquid, alert and calm. His senses were hyperaware. The shimmer of the air, the dull red of the cave walls, the smell of the fuel – it filled his head and sharpened his focus. He was ready.
  He kept his eye on the starting light. It turned from red to yellow...
  Green! Anakin pushed the throttle and the engines roared in response. He had always believed in a quick start. His old Podracer had been tweaked to allow for maximum fuel flow. Deland's Podracer surged forward in a pack with the others, but slightly ahead. He allowed himself one glance over at Hekula. Sebulba's son bared his teeth at Anakin.
  Anakin checked the nav computer. In a glance he saw the route ahead. Down a long underground canyon, then through a series of dips and rolls. Then he needed to take a sharp left down a narrow passage. After that he would receive the next stage of the course.
  The cave walls were a blur of dusty red and the screaming engines were just a backdrop of constant sound as Anakin raced through the canyon. Hekula pulled ahead, the double engines of Anakin's old pod bobbing on the air current created by his speed. Anakin stayed close on Hekula's tail, avoiding the flying engines. The other Podracers were reluctant to get too close. Anakin knew from experience how the engines would move as Hekula maneuvered. He dared to race snug against the back of Hekula's Podracer, knowing he was making Hekula angry and nervous.
  The dips were ahead. Anakin pulled back suddenly, and Hekula shot in front. Anakin dived, timing his movement so that he was able to barely scoot underneath Hekula's Podracer and then rise up before the dip rose into a small hill.
  He was in the lead. But Hekula had the next part of the course by now. He was most likely already planning his strategy for the next round of challenges. Anakin would have to rely on his instincts to keep him in the lead.
  Behind him, Ody Mandrell couldn't make the sharp turn into the passage. Anakin heard the shriek of metal and the crash. Smoke rolled toward him and he pushed the engines as hard as he dared, trying to outrun the smoke before it blinded him.
  Hekula was pulling slightly to the left. Anakin didn't know why but guessed he was preparing to pass him on the next segment... whatever it was. Just then the nav computer blinked, showing him the next part of the course. He just had time to register the details, but it was as though he had already seen the track.
  He turned sharply on the first corner, then turned again to the left, then the right. Hekula kept up with his every move. Anakin could see his face when he glanced behind, could almost hear Hekula's cackling laugh.
  Behind them, Elan and Aldar Beedo collided, after Elan made a move to cut off Aldar. The others had to scramble to avoid hitting them or the drivers, who had crawled from the wreckage to accuse each other. The sight was gone in a moment as Anakin whipped around another corner.
  The controls shook in his hand at the constant turns. Hekula was gaining. He needed all his concentration for the next segment...
  His comlink signaled.
  Anakin considered not answering it, but he knew he must. It could be his Master.
  He released the control for an instant and pressed the activation key. He strained to hear his Master over the noise.
  "... nav computer... accident... prepare for..."
  Anakin kept one hand on the controls and snatched the comlink. He held it tight against his ear. "Repeat!" he shouted into the comlink.
  Now Obi-Wan's voice was clearer, but he still lost some words over the noise rebounding off the cave walls. "One of the Podracers if booby-trapped... nav computer will lead... Eusebus... the lead Podracer's steering mechanism will blow. It will be made to crash into a crowd... hear me, Anakin?"
  "Copy that!" Anakin shouted. He threw the comlink back down.
  The lapse in concentration had cost him. As his Podracer burst out of the maze, Hekula passed him on the inside and took the lead.
  His nav computer flashed. The course now would wind through a series of turns, then open out into a large tunnel. Then the five remaining Podracers would burst out of the tunnel onto the city streets. So Obi-Wan's prediction was right.
  Anakin quickly turned to the left before the cave wall curved. He was able to pass Hekula easily. Obviously, Hekula was not as adept a racer as his father. With advance knowledge of that turn, he should have hugged the wall to prevent Anakin's manuever. Hekula tried to bump him from behind, but Anakin pulled ahead.
  He raced through the tunnel, wondering what to do when he reached the city streets. If he slowed, the others would pass him, and there would be more danger to the pedestrians. The best he could do was stay ahead to lead the pack away from pedestrians and hope he could master the Podracer when its steering blew.
  As Anakin zoomed onto the streets, he saw astonished faces and beings quickly running to get out of the way. He slowed slightly, but not enough to let Hekula pass him.
  Suddenly Hekula pulled up next to him. He tried to use an old trick of his father's, flashing Anakin's engine with side vents so that he'd overheat. Anakin pulled ahead slightly to avoid the steam.
  The next segment flashed onscreen. Down a boulevard, then up a steep hill and down the other side. The boulevard would then narrow into an alley, then open up once again.
  The turn onto the boulevard would be tricky, a near-180-degree manuever. Anakin eased to the right so he would be able to make the turn. Hekula kept going straight. When the turn appeared, Anakin took it easily, but Hekula had to struggle to keep his Podracer on course.
  Engines screaming, they raced up the hill. Speeders accelerated to get out of their way, and pedestrians scattered. Anakin's hands began to shake, and he realized his controls were vibrating. His warning light suddenly flashed red.
  The steering mechanism was failing.