Space Race (Space Race 1) Nathan Hystad (ebooks children's books free .TXT) 📖

mostly red, with splashes of black along the hem and collar.

“I thought you couldn’t come to the dinner,” I managed as she stopped beside us.

“The tests were delayed, so Bryson requested I join the team.”

“What about the Racer?” I asked.

She held her PersaTab out. “R11 has it under control. If they pull the ship in for testing, we’ll be notified.”

“Shall we?” Bryson asked, and offered his arm to Jade. Her hair was pinned up at the back, revealing the shaved section of her head, and the black earrings.

A short time later, we were seated in the hotel’s finest ballroom, the lights dim, the scent of fine dining looming from the kitchens, and I surveyed the place, discovering we weren’t the only team in matching attire. Some wore jumpsuits, while others went for dark tuxedos.

I just wanted the night to be over so we could finally begin the Race we’d been preparing two months for.

The Board was all there. Ten faces. Each seemed content on the exterior, but when I looked closer, I noticed a lot of toe-tapping and hand-wringing. They were nervous. The CEOs were more composed, probably used to hostile takeovers and back-room shenanigans than the Board members. Octavia Post was as cool as a cucumber, moving from table to table, in sequential order of rank, of course, and finally, she ended up at ours.

“Bryson, how wonderful to see you and the team at the reception,” she said.

“Is there a reason we wouldn’t be in attendance?” he asked, his tone friendly.

“Haven’t you heard?” She had the air of pretense, as if holding in a substantial advantage.

“Heard what?” My voice was low.

“You’ve been disqualified,” she said softly.

My heart raced, and Holland looked ready to explode. Bryson was calm when he asked the next question. “How so?”

“We’ve completed the inspection of Racer number eleven, and you broke the rules.” She couldn’t hold back her true feelings about this. Her contempt for SeaTech radiated from her skin.

Bryson rose slowly. “My engineer was supposed to be on board for the inspection. It seems you are the one who broke the rules.”

Jade was checking her Tab, but there was no communication from R11 on it. “What did we fail?”

“The robot isn’t to spec.” And there it was.

“R11? He’s just a bot, meant to assist with minor functions,” Bryson said.

“Be that as it may, I’m afraid you have to ground your Racer, and will not be eligible to compete in the event.” I saw a hint of a smile at the corners of Octavia’s lips.

I couldn’t hold back any longer. “You really had it out for us, didn’t you?” I stood, knocking my chair over. “Your precious Primary Corps, all wanting to push out the rookie in the hangar. Well, I have news for you, we’re not going to be bullied.”

Luther rose, and so did Jade, finally followed by Holland. They came to my side, and other teams began to approach.

Octavia glanced over her shoulder, seeing the incoming crowd. “Captain Lewis, I should caution you to bite your tongue.”

“Or what? You’ll shoot me from an airlock?” I locked gazes with Varn, the Sage captain, and he sneered at me, chuckling to a teammate.

Bryson came between us, turning to face me. “Captain Lewis, she’s right. We should watch what we say, because according to the fine print, we have until an hour before the race to comply with any of their regulations.”

“That’s technically correct, but you do need a robot on board as part of the team. It’s in the handbook, section four, point nineteen,” she said.

Jade nodded and began to recite the reference. “Section Four, Point Nineteen: Each team must include a robotic assistant, a model XE773, RE550, or equivalent.”

“And your R11 is not either of those models.” Octavia started to walk away.

“Theoretically, he’s not, but with a mem wipe, he can be reprogrammed to be equivalent.” Jade followed Octavia, who stopped near Sage.

“That isn’t exactly true.”

“We’re splitting hairs. I’ll take a XE773, then. Surely Luna Corp has one for sale,” Bryson said.

The Lead Chair looked at the Luna Corp CEO, and he shook his head.

“You have your answer. Since you are unable to comply with the regulations, consider yourselves…”

I’d heard enough. They weren’t going to get rid of SeaTech so easily. Not before being televised for the entire world to see. I knew how things like this went. They’d kick us out and release some pathetic story of us trying to break the rules. We’d be shamed, and Bryson had put too much into this for me to allow that. “Way I see it, the other Racers are afraid of a little competition,” I told them.

Varn Wallish tried to step around Octavia, but she raised a finger, setting it on his chest. “Do not be taken by his words.”

If it was a fight they wanted, I was prepared. “Yep. Varn and his cronies can’t stand the thought of losing to the likes of me. Well, I’ll tell you what. I wasn’t afraid of your CEO, and I’m not afraid of you.” I glanced at Frank Under, and he flinched. I smiled at him, knowing full well he still recalled that day five years ago with clarity.

“You are nothing, Arlo. You couldn’t even take the job you were being groomed for, because I was always better than you. I’m a real pilot. You’re out there hauling crap in your piece of junk, and the rest of us”—Varn gestured at the other eight teams in the room—“are speeding through the solar system like comets.”

“Then let us compete. Show me how terrible I am at this gig, that’s all I ask. If I’m as bad as you say, you’ll be rid of me in a week anyways. What’s the harm?” I asked, standing two meters from Varn.

“I’m sorry, but your goading won’t work.” Octavia turned away from us, and Bryson spoke up.

“Let us do the mem wipe on my R11 unit, and I’ll give you the first rights to my latest Elurnium replacement devices.” The entire room