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

sure, Holland?” I asked. The energy here was palpable. The Pod portion was the highlight of the Race. This and the finish line were the most pumped moments of the great Space Race, and we couldn’t afford a major loss today.

He picked up the helmet and held it toward me. “You have to race the Pod for me.”

I stared at him, then between the other two. Jade had a worried expression. Luther seemed confident as he nodded at me.

“Damn it,” I muttered.

We were standing on the stage behind Octavia with all eight teams. It felt so good not to be at the end. I glanced at Travis Brenner, the captain of Oasis, and he nodded at me. Slowly but surely, I was gaining respect from the rest of the teams, and that might benefit us in the end.

“This marks the second elimination round in the Race. The first seven teams will move on.” Octavia paused for dramatic effect. “The last two will be dismissed.”

The crowds of people cheered at this, and Varn lifted an arm before applauding along with them.

“After today’s event, Space Race will continue tomorrow, with the next elimination event in around forty-eight hours. More on that to come, but two more teams will be removed.” Boos erupted from the crowd, but they sounded playful and jeering. “There can only be one winner of this Space Race, with the prize being authority over Proxima. Who will come out the victor? Will it be…Sage Industries?” She introduced each team to the gathered assembly, announcing who was competing in today’s Pod race. When she got to SeaTech, I expected full silence again.

They shocked us all by applauding almost as loudly as Oasis. I stared into the crowd, seeing various people clapping from each of the nine Corporations. Jade nudged me with an elbow, but I stayed still, not wanting to jinx the moment. Octavia was even more surprised than me, judging by her expression while she introduced Barret, then Espace, then HyperMines.

“And there you have it, good people of Earth, Mars, and anyone watching from the various outposts around the solar system. Let the Mars Pod Race ensue!” Octavia stepped from the podium, and the drones that had been filming her shifted their focus to the teams and the exuberant crowd.

The people began moving toward their seats, some opting to take the transport ships to the various checkpoints along the track. Screens had been placed everywhere, ensuring all could witness the fast-paced affair from their positions.

Here, Mars didn’t seem like a remote dusty planet, but a short distance beyond the fanfare and stages, it gave way to nature, with sweeping red dunes and rocky craters. The setting was perfect, with nine Pods vying for top spot.

I walked with feigned confidence as we escaped the stage and headed for the starting line. Security robots created a block for the contestants, and the entire area had a feeling of congestion to it. The executives were thrilled to be present, and I wondered how many of them knew about the weaponry being covertly produced on this very planet. Did any of these people suspect that, within a few days, something monumental was about to happen?

I couldn’t think about that. I had a Race to win.

The starting line was flashy, with a kilometer-long platform stretching out to the first checkpoint. Each of the Rings was large enough to accommodate three Pods side by side, and I fully expected some of the entries to become competitive.

Holland’s Pod was styled like Pilgrim, with a black nose and red body, the number eleven painted over the sides with white, and identical rings surrounding the digits. The Pods were compact, roughly the same size as the two-person taxis at the Corporations’ sites, but with a single central seat, and a thousand times the energy to shoot it around this track.

Each team had similar Pods, with varying designs and color patterns. Sage Industries was an olive green, with the number 1 smack dab on the top. Small wings protruded from the Pods, and the thrusters behind were silent and still. That was going to change.

Jade threw her arms around me, planting a big kiss on my cheek. “I believe in you.”

“So do I.” Luther bumped knuckles with me, and Holland looked nauseous.

“You’re going to cream them. Remember my tip about Varn’s pilot. She’ll have his bad habits. Flying low to the ground, turning too sharply. Use them,” Holland offered. I’d spent some time analyzing the Primary Pod races with Holland over the last few weeks, and we had numerous strategies for each of these eight contestants. I glanced at HyperMines, who were currently in last place. Their pilot was a large guy with a thick beard and animated eyes. He shoved his helmet on and slapped himself on the head with a gloved palm three times, barking along with the movements.

Being at the starting line made the entire region seem gigantic, and I glanced past the Pods to the runway that led to the first Ring. The checkpoint glowed bright orange, and the floor powered up, ten-foot-wide hexagons lit with an inoffensive blue. The show was beginning.

I stood calmly, gazing at the Ring, and pulled the helmet on methodically, flipping the visor over my eyes. “If anything happens…”

“Hawk, nothing bad is going to take place today.” Luther clapped me on the back, but I knew how dangerous the Pod races could be, especially with the top speed they could attain.

I paused at the doors, turning to stare at my teammates. “Thanks, guys. I won’t let you down.”

“You couldn’t possibly,” Jade said loudly over the noise. The other Pods were beginning to fire up, their drives vibrating and shaking the hulls. Thruster coils glowed hotly, creating potential energy, and I entered the Pod.

I was grateful for the practice session with Holland near the islands back at SeaTech. It had been so long since I’d competed, but sitting there, holding the controls—the way the straps bit into my shoulders, the feeling