Log:Void Helix Swoop Race
There is a race track on Nar Shaddaa known for its cataclysmic collisions. Void Helix is true to its name as a twisting, turning, contained track where racers are constantly criss-crossing in the area called The Crucible -- a centralized crossroads hovering over the void that leads straight down into the depths of Ko Hentota.
Void Helix Swoop Race
OOC Date: February 26, 2025
Location: Nar Shaddaa
Participants: Maelstrom (GM), Igoz Shaxar, Axyl Lucayon, Callisto, Ben Relor, Vonn Daugh, Bizz Bliptettjupp, Vran, Vianna Soleil, Hani Marake, Vega, Colo Nell, Draeven Rhyzakk, Cin'cirad Rook, Evie Kora, Yxuara, Pax Dredic (Pax)
--Void Helix Swoop Circuit - Corellian District, Nar Shaddaa--
A vast expanse of the old Corellian District has been converted into the now infamous Void Helix Circuit, a swoop racing track that has quickly earned a reputation. Suspended amidst the city's towering architecture, this track is kept constrained to only a few large city blocks. It is incredibly compact, literally running through the upper floors of buildings where spectators are protected behind shield barriers as they holler and yell amidst the roaring engines. Criss-crossing at several intersections and defying logic, Void Helix demands drivers be quick with maneuvering or be turned into scrap.
It all starts at the Spine, an opening stretch where swoops line up on a suspended platform before immediately launching into the lower levels of the track over the businesses of Olys Kruzibe and battling spires and shielded walkways. From there dips into Serpent's Veil, narrow alleyways and corridors which swerve and bank haphazardly with adjustable barriers that turn on and off out of sync, keeping the track unpredictable with each race. Surviving those only rewards racers with the Gauntlet which is filled with laser grids, spinning blades, man-made vortices, and all manner of ever-changing hazards.
Hairpin turns and steep climbs fling racers from one obstacle to the next all on a track that keeps winding and doubling back on itself. In the center of it all is the Crucible -- so named for Olys Kruzibe -- where the track interweaves and overlaps. It is a knot of peril in midair. Swoops graze past one another, defying collision by mere inches. Failure to do so sends riders and vehicles alike falling into the abyss that is Nar Shaddaa's undercity far, far below. Thus, granting Void Helix its name and reputation. In this symphony of velocity, crashes are frequent, and crowds are insatiable.
-- Maelstrom --
A crowd of thousands have flocked to the Olys Kruzibe Sprawl. Those who could not (or would not) pay for seating at the main area are stuffing themselves onto pathways, rooftops, and makeshift rafters along dangerous turns and dips.
Over the loudspeakers a voice of unidentifiable species fills the arena, screens translating in real time. "Welcome to the Void Helix Circuit, where legends are made, and the reckless are reduced to smoldering debris! Tonight, our racers vie for grand prizes and bragging rights... if they survive!
The crowds love a close call, but what fills the seats is the carnage! Shaddaa showcases the single most deadly piece of track in all the Outer Rim: THE CRUCIBLE! You will be seeing a lot of the Crucible, fellow sentients, as our racers will be crossing over it again and again in a blitz of burning fuel and shuddering metal!
One wrong move buys a one-way ticket straight to the bottom into the depths of Ko Hentota and the murky waters of THE GROT!"
The crowd erupts into feverish howls and adrenaline-laced screams which vendors can barely call out their wares about the ruckus.
"Racers, take your marks, and embrace your one and only moment of calm before the storm!"
-- Vran --
Vran elbowed and jostled his way to the front of the seating area to have a good view of the track. A stare down with a shistavanen may earn him a fight outside after the race, but now that he had the prime real estate it was worth it. Gloved hands rested on the edge of the barrier of the stands and he leaned forward to take a look at the swoops preparing to start.
-- Callisto --
Callisto happily skips in her very purple swoopsuit to her also very purple swoop car. She poses in front of the vehicle, giving Princess waves and blowing kisses to the crowd before she gets in and straps up for safety. Then she starts up her swoop, easily guiding the vehicle into position with an excited smile curling her lips.
-- Cin'cirad --
A bit outside of her usual appearance, Sira is going for the 'Business Armor' look as it's what was suggested by the person who invited her. A suit jacket with a high collar, unbuttoned to reveal the crimson dress shirt with a similar design. The dress shirt unbuttoned down a bit to give it more of a neckline. A pair of gloves, her usual pair. A pencil skirt that ran down to just below the knees, with a pair of shimmering crimson stockings and square-toed dress shoes finish the look. The more observant might notice the way the jacket hangs in the back, probably concealing a couple weapons and that the gloves don't look normal either.
As the person who invited here isn't yet here - she makes her way along toward the edge of the viewing area. Looking down to the track and then up toward other parts of it. Truly the twists and turns of this track are something to behold. She lets out a soft laugh and grips the edge of a railing, tapping her finger upon it as she looks up to the view screens showing the racers participating. "Oh, hey, Hapan is racing. Go figure. I was wondering what he was up to."
Reaching up with a gloved hand, she taps away at a chin and looks at some of the others. "Oh, I think I know him too." She muses as she sees Axyl's picture, a frown and pull of her mouth to the side, "Oh, his name is Axyl. Well, with luck I'll remember that. Who else..." She peruses the images, "Oh, I think I've met her too." She winces as the crowds start to scream, taking a step back from the railing and looking about for Evie before the race starts.
-- Bizz Bliptettjupp --
Brother Bizz comes waddling to the cheap seats, accompanied by a gaggle of orphans who are all snacking on something from the local Mandalorian kebab shop. They include Glim the pink Cragmoloid boy with his elephant-like trunk, Sonaa the tiny Togruta girl, Dia the little Twi'lek girl, Hylie the Mirialan girl, and Ansra the human girl in her hand-me-down scavenger costume.
Bizz himself is carrying a cardboard munchie box filled with fried gi dumpling takoyaki balls with ginger, a °spicy Tiingilar stew° in a bread bowl, Uj'alayi cake pops on sticks dripping with sticky uj'ayl syrup, a bagel schmeared with smoked gihaal fish & cream cheese, several ears of foil-wrapped Mandalorian street corn slathered with a creamy Mando pepper & Tiingilar sauce, multiple cups of blue milk, and a large festive mug of sweet Mandalorian black ale.
-- Ben Relor --
Representing the 'reckless' tonight is one Ben Relor, who crashed out spectacularly in the previous race after a few good moments. He's apparently repaired his little red swoop, and his swoop suit is in shades of red (along with some gray and black) to go with it. As he goes to mount his bike, he flicks away his cigarette and washes down some pills with a quick swig from a flask before handing the flask over to his R5 astromech, Five, who takes it from him with a small manipulator arm. Five uses another small manipulator arm to wave a little red flag for him, so he's got at least one cheerleader.
Ben lets out a deep breath. "Guess it's showtime," he mutters, straddling the swoop and starting up his engine as he puts down his helmet. He doesn't even bother playing to the crowd; what's the karking point? Better focus on not dying. That seems like a much better use of his time. There is a brief glance over at Calli, though, and he smirks and shakes his head at her before returning his gaze to the track ahead.
-- Vega (Ve) --
Vega is down in the pits with the other mechanics and helping those that don't have crews. She's out of her robes today and wearing black synth leather pants, a grey tunic like shirt and black boots. Her riot of white hair is braided back and it swings from side to side as she walks and looks over things.
-- Axyl Lucayon
Clad in the sleek, lightweight garb of a REAL swoop racer, this time, Axyl cuts a lithely muscled figure in black, crimson, and white. His swoop is the same vintage model he's been working with a local retired racer to restore as his previous-- and to date only-- public racing appearance.
He did not win. But for the Shistamandalorian, the draw is in the high-speed, technical competition... and the grid is even more imposing, tonight. Both for the racers arrayed, and the deafening crowd. A respectful nod greets any of the former looking his way, as Lucayon completes a last once-over of his agile bike... and clambors smoothly atop.
-- Vianna Soleil --
A fixture from the club district, Vianna is roaming around the spectator section. Why is she meandering instead of taking a seat?
She's running book. Is it for the Hutts? Is she doing it solo?
"You can place bets with me," she says, not yelling but in the way a performer's voice carries.
-- Igoz Shaxar --
The rumble of Igoz Shaxar's swoop announces his readiness as he settles his helmet into place and with a wince his goggles slap into his scaly ridged forehead. His mouth shifts about in a bid to seat the goggles appropriately before the race truly begins. He isn't about to miss his adoring fans! He takes a hand from the control yoke of the swoop in order to offer a salute and a grin up toward those calling his name - one of which is even wearing his old hat!
He's quite the garish figure in his swoopsuit of purple and gold while he stands up on the pegs of his swoop, giving him more height to wave to the crowd. A moment later and he drops onto the seat of his swoop again, readies himself, and calls out to his fellow racers, "They said that we're supposed to wait three seconds after the go signal due to some malfunction!"
He begins ready himself then and bringing up the command prompts of his swoop, pairing it with the support package tied into his helmet.
-- Hani Marake --
It's a questionable life choice that brings Hani here without her helmet currently on, even if she clearly views every event as an armour worthy event. She turns a moment at the screaming and then lifts her hand to wave to where she's spotted Sira by the railing. She nudges her own way further through the crowds, her medpac slung over her shoulder such that she can watch the racers. OH yes, she recognizes some of the racers, certainly.
-- Vonn Daugh --
Maybe he just always looks relaxed but the street racing courier known as Vonn Daugh to those in that world is standing next to his swoop that's right on the starting line. He looks like he's just here for a good time, smacking his gum as he chews with all the nonchalance of someone who spends have his life racing.
His swoopsuit is a is a fitting black and pink gradient with more pink than anything else. He's got a couple of 'Star Treaders' logo patches on it. He totally got those sewn on they are not an official sponsor of his yet. Either way, he looks primed and ready to rock this funky joint as they will say a long time from now in a galaxy far, far away...
-- Colo Nell --
Colo and swoop races are like sails and the wind. He wouldn't be caught dead anywhere else on such a prime night with a variety of currencies and a smirk on his face. The venue itself gives a boisterous roar from the speakers as he files into position and parks himself in one of the mid-tier seats available. With just enough room to spy a good sampling of the track as well as the holo-feeds above, the Corellian slips into a comfortable position and reclines to the noise piping out.
It's the warning about THE GROT that makes him snort-laugh and call out to some of those nearby. "The Grot? That's nothing. I swam that once, y'know? Stretch to strand. It wasn't a big deal, see, since it's mostly about..." The gambler rattles on, boring the nearest spectator with his only moderately boastful lies.
-- Maelstrom --
The Spine is a straight-away, open stretch on a suspended platform where racers prepare to hurl themselves into the chaos of the Void Helix. A line of swoops all idle in tense anticipation, their engines growling against the countdown clock. What waits ahead for them is a tangled knot of obstacles renown for looping around and criss-crossing multiple times, elevating the chance for collisions and destruction.
The Spine is all about acceleration and control: the earliest chance to gain a commanding lead and hold it. Hesitation will not win any favor.
"Engines primed, shields up, and may the void show you mercy? because the track won?t. Racers, on my mark...
THREE... TWO... ONE... BUUUUUURN"
-- Cin'cirad --
Turning in her place, and heading back in the direction she started on her way to look for Evie, she finds that there's another familiar face in the crowd. Her lips curving into a bit of a wide grin, eyes flicking toward Hani's /HAIR/ and her eyebrows go up. A slow little nod of her head off to the side. "Oooo. WOW. I see how it is. So ~Fancy~ huh? You're actually going without something on your head? What's /next/?" She starts to laugh as she moves up next to Hani and gives her another look.
"So, here just in case someone crashes?" The arch of the eyebrows again, leaning in so she can be heard over another cheer of noise, "Ya know, I think that's the one thing that I've never been a fan of? I enjoy the technical aspect more." She gives a crinkle of her nose and hooks an arm into Hani's as she starts pulling her along toward the concessions area.
"You know, I think I saw some fried gi dumpling takoyaki balls and some street corn. I do love me some street corn." Just then there's the sound of the race starting and her head turns toward the track again. Wincing once more at the noise, she pulls out a pair of earplugs with some noise cancellation and pops them in. There's a reason her hearing isn't shebs compared to Sumi's. She watches the race for a few seconds, a bit of a wry smile, before attempting to pull Hani in the direction of ~food~.
-- Callisto --
Callisto focuses on her driving and floors it the moment that one disappears. She carefully maneuvers her swoop and manages to get into second place. She continues to do her best to keep and eye out to see who she might need to block or cut off to keep her palce or gain first.
-- Axyl Lucayon --
The call from Igoz draws Axyl's golden, visor-covered gaze-- even as the countdown to start hits. A skilled diversion is countered only by the dancing dexterity of the Shistavanen's gloved fingertips, reflexively tweaking several switches and doo-dads at once even as he flutters, then smoothly bottoms out his acceleration. It's not the fastest start off the line-- but the Mandalorian is little if not tenacious, determined, and focused.
The readouts from his swoop's computer reflect in his eyes within the helmet, as he roars into a graceful weave down the opening straights, jockeying for servicable position among the grid of racers! Which in this case, mostly means trying to edge out Ben Relor for a moment, and maintain actionable poise on the leading swoops.
-- Igoz Shaxar --
The light turns green and despite Igoz's claim from just a moment ago: he doesn't wait three seconds after the lights turn to green. The supposed malfunction had been a RUSE! He immediately sets off with a roar of his engine and a malicious cackle at the misfortune of the saps left behind. They're shoved to the back of his mind though because there's plenty of open track ahead of him. The Spine is the first obstacle and a fairly smooth one it is as Igoz and the beefy swoop roar down the straightaway. He's through the easy part. The real challenges lay ahead.
-- Ben Relor --
Ben Relor is usually quite eagle-eyed. He used it to his advantage in the last race, and it helped get him off to a stunning start. This time, though...this time, maybe he shouldn't have been drinking and whatever else he was doing right before starting the race. Because while he's so busy watching the other racers, the track, the stands, the weather, the other myriad conditions...he seems to have completely missed that the race is actually /starting/. By the time he's underway, he's cursing so loudly and so colorfully that it's probably good no one can hear him over all the cacophony. Axyl trying to edge him out isn't helping! Gritting his teeth, the red-suited, red-swooped young man jostles him right back, but Axyl gets just enough of an edge to push Ben out. More cursing ensues.
-- Vega (Ve) --
One of the swoops decides that it isn't going to start right...and Vega takes a pipe and bangs it on the side of the machine...only for it to start working again. "Ah yes, percussive maintenance." the Echani woman states with a laugh as she moves back towards safety.
-- Vran (vr) --
Vran lifts his arms at the call for bets and waves Gianna over so that he can call over a wager. "1000 on.." he points behind him at random, "That one.." and turns to see who he chose. Vonn. He was betting for Vonn. "That one." he confirms, yelling as needed to the bookie to be heard before turning his attention back to the race and giving a cheer.
-- Bizz Bliptettjupp --
Bizz slurps some of that spicy Tiingilar stew, inhaling the pungent aroma. "Tiinglar is supposed to burn the hairs of the nostrils. It is a Mandalorian cultural touchstone!" Dia the little Twi'lek girl and Hylie the Mirialan girl both munch ears of the Mandalorian street corn but they squeal as the spiciness burns their tongues. They reach for cups of blue milk to ease the sting of that creamy Mando pepper & Tiingilar sauce. Sonaa the tiny Togruta girl squeaks with delight as Callisto zooms off like a purple blur. The girl likes purple.
-- Hani Marake --
"I'm hoping to spend my evening eating dumplings and watching the race because no one has crashed." Hani confirms for Sira with a smirk at her comments about being helmetless. "I have not yet managed to eat dumplings with my helmet on, but much more screaming and I am going to figure out how." She lifts her hand to wave to where Colo is lounging.
A few steps and she heads her way up to where Colo is seated and there's a hint of a smile. "Fancy seeing you here."
-- Vonn Daugh --
Vonn takes off the moment they are all let loose. He doesn't particularly care to wait around. The Spine might be the rare moment where death is not an immediate option. Even within the helmet he's blowing a bubble... the bubble matching the pink on his swoopsuit. Regardless, he aims to stay right in that spot for a moment, while one hand reaches for a button on his controls to cue up his driving music.
It's not a race without the Coronet Dryft soundtrack pumping through his helmet.
-- Colo Nell --
"...which is how I got the respect of the Yardles." Colo's long tale ends with a Rodian nearby practically dozing off nearest to him. The ploy works. When the yellow-tinged sentient finally nods off despite the roaring engines and milling crowd, the Corellian slips closer and promptly improves his view by taking the seat on the opposite side. The maneuver's a simple one, but now gives him a vantage that can't be challenged!...until Hani waves at him, anyway. He smiles and lifts his palm in greeting at the lavender-hued woman, though hardly expects her approach until it actually happens.
Brows lift and his hand...extends in offer for a simple touch of greeting at her shoulder. "I don't know about fancy. Just about everyone fancier than me on the moon is here too. Let's call it lucky," He suggests with a little sparkle to his eyes. "Now you're here, I can promote you to Swoop Buddy."
-- Evie Kora --
The Void Helix rages on, and sitting in one of the sponsors' boxes is none other than the Empress of the Void, Evennia Leven Kora, proprietress of th e MoonStar ModShop, galactic 'celebrity', and acclaimed racing fan (and sometimes still participant!). She's dressed to be seen today, wearing what she calls her 'business armor', the thoroughly (and needlessly) floofy gown that splits colors between black and white down the middle of the garment.
And she is very much *on her feet*, electrobinoculars in her hand and eyes focused on the action. Mouth, meanwhile, is screaming encouragement for Igoz. Sure, theorhetically between the roar of the engines, the crowd between her and him, and everything else, it's unlikely the Falleen can hear her...
...but reality was what it was; her racer was in 1st place, and all was right with the world. So who's to say that her efforts *aren't* having an effect?
-- Maelstrom --
"Our racers have met the famous and infamous Crucible where up is down, left is down, right is done--- IT'S ALL DOWN!"
The Crucible lives up to its name being dead-center of the Void Helix track and riddled wti obstacles. Shifting chicanes, choke points, repeating intersections, and energy traps act as a mechanized blender whose only purpose in existing is to chew up vehicle and rider.
On the first pass, many of these obstacles are simply turned off or retracted, threatening to pop out at any second and guaranteeing that the next pass will be more treacherous than the pass before.
-- Cin'cirad --
With her possible companion for snack time thwarted she gives a snort of laughter and calls after Hani, "Fine! I'll try to find you some dumplings. If I don't get back, the crowd ate me." It was possible, considering the venue, that it was a bit of a tongue-in-cheek joke to say Business Armor. She would have to wait and see what is entailed with Evie's. She walks by one of the vendors to pick up some street corn when-
"Oh! Go figure, she's in a /box/." A ~sigh~ and she picks up a second street corn as well and a cup of the Tiingilar stew - she anted to see how it compares. After all, the Mandalorian Beach Party definitely had its fair share. Moving along she glances down as there's a couple girls downing their blue milk, a flicker of a smile. She crouches down, talking to each, "~Ya know~, the real trick is to swish the milk around and then spit it out." She gives a crooked smile and then shoots a look to the nearby Bizz.
Nope... Sira's not causing trouble /at all/ as she makes her way toward Evie's private booth. Two ears of corn and a cup full of Tiingilar in tow. "Which one's yours?" She asks Evie as she sets down the cup and offering one of the spicy ears of corn to f the Void.
-- Callisto --
The curve messes with her, she under estimated just how much to turn her wheel and Vonn manages to jump in front of her but she is determined to try and get her spot back.
-- Hani Marake --
"I seem to recall that Swoop Buddy is quite a jump." Hani quips back to Colo as she manages to slip herself into a seat nearby, and then with some not subtle social engineering.. mostly by talking over people, end up sitting next to the Corellian.
Her attention flicks up to the screens as she keeps half her attention on the race and who has crashed yet. Mercifully, no one yet.
"I dont even pretend to be fancy, no matter what Sira might be trying to claim." Hani twists a wry little half smile.
-- Draeven Rhyzakk --
Draeven moves through the mass of bodies with the calm, unhurried presence of a predator who isn't hunting, just watching. The roar of engines, the electrified tension of the crowd, the erratic flashes of neon reflecting off helmets and visors. It's all just background noise to him. His gaze sweeps the track as he reaches the spectator barrier, standing close enough to feel the whirr of swoops slicing through the air. He folds his arms, leaning slightly against a reinforced barrier.
-- Vega (Ve) --
Vega climbs up from the mechanics pit and sits on the rail that separates the stands and things. Because this was something that was probably safe. The diminutive Echani woman watches the progress quietly as she sits there.
-- Vianna Soleil --
The first lap goes, and the Zeltron looks back up to the board, clocking times and who is in the lead. (She watches a lot of Swoop races because that's what they keep on the holos at the clubs and bars on this rock.)
She bustles on over to Vran, smiling widely and fluttering her eyelashes at him as she takes down his bets on her datapad. "Good luck~," she singsongs before heading back into the crowd.
-- Axyl Lucayon --
"Look out-- they're activating early!" It's a tactic, perhaps, that Axyl shouldn't have bothered to try. Most of the grid drowns out his cry by virtue of being ahead, and the moment's shift in focus, coupled with weaving around a snapping blade that offers karmic returns for the alert. Lucayon is forced to weave sharply to one side, more riding than grinding against the wall for a moment before angling back into the race-- losing his neck in neck alignment with Relor, but determined to keep the throttle up as the Nar Shaddaan air roars past him with cool but savage intensity.
-- Igoz Shaxar --
The Crucible's next and Igoz is fueled by not only his lead, but the knowledge that somewhere he's got fans shouting for his success. The Empress of the Void may or may not be a fan, but she's his sponsor and that means a great deal when it comes to not ending things in a genuine blaze of glory. Which is precisely why he had asked some questions through intermediaries, greased a few palms, and generally lovingly waxed the pillars of commerce in the circuit's staff. Knowing what traps were where, the timing of them, and the best route to get through it all? It's worth a few extra credits to make sure that some race staffer could afford a few extra drinks at the Kyber Klub later. Of which a portion of the proceeds from those purchases would go right back into the pockets of Igoz Shaxar himself.
Great success.
He leans into the swoop and angles it hard around an obstacle, skirting around the whirling blades that lash out in a bid to either slice him to ribbons or slice him to ribbons and knock him from his swoop.
-- Ben Relor --
Whatever Relor took is starting to kick in now. It's not just about his reflexes -- it's also about his mind. And in that tangly jungle of explosives that is Ben Relor's mind, he remembers reading about something called the Red Shift Massacre -- the Void Helix Circuit's most infamous (and illegal) race, leading to the actual, brutal deaths of over half the racers. The racers back then expected the track to open -- it didn't. They died horribly in a midair fireball. So instead of following the pack, he cuts early, banking left while everyone else hugs the right, trusting a barrier that might never drop. A second later, it stays locked. Hopefully no one ended up in the middle of that, but that's not Ben's problem right now. What matters is that he manages to edge out Axyl. Since he probably won't win? May as well not be in last place. Even if it's just by a hair.
-- Vonn Daugh --
Now that the Coronet Dryft soundtrack is in full effect, Vonn Daugh can focus. His eyes narrow beneath the helmet and the only place he feels comfortable becomes part of him once again. He leans into the controls, chewing his gum as he weasels his way out of third place and kicks into acceleration mode. He's got his eyes on the prize as he starts trying to close the gap between himself and first place.
Whatever bobbing and weaving he needs to do in order to stay in second place becomes the focus for this bit of the race. Here's where the street racing and getaway driving comes in handy. He's been doing this since he was in diapers. A real... Baby Driver.
Get it?
-- Colo Nell --
No one -yet-, of course. Time yet remains for a crash and Colo, blessed Colo, keeps his eyes peeled on the screens. Oh, and Hani. "It is quite the jump, but I feel you've earned it. Showing up to t--" Whatever else he says--because his mouth keeps moving--is swallowed up by the next roar of sound from the track, though ends with the unflappable Corellian continuing his yammer. "Which is why you needn't worry that I'll tell anyone, Swoop Buddy."
Colo nods most righteously over that, though can't resist a dark, sculpted eyebrow shooting aloft. He steers his gaze from the track, to Hani, back to the track, and Haniward one more time before remarking. "Sira, huh? Gotta introduce me to all your new friends, Hani. Or are you hiding them?" A beat and his ego fires. "Or hiding me from them?"
-- Pax Dredic --
Pax Dredic moves into his sheet, carrying what looks like some kind of sweetened snack food in a sack. With a soft curse, he turns to the action, and takes a seat near Colo and Hani, though not right NEXT to them.
-- Maelstrom --
"Out of the Crucible and into the VEIL, folks! Who will we see coming out the other side?" RSerpent's Veil is where the track tightens, the walls close in, and the only way out is through! A twisting labyrinth of forgotten alleyways, rusting maintenance tunnels, and half-finished deconstruction zones, It is a deathtrap wrapped in shadow.
The turns are razor-sharp, the paths are barely wide enough for a swoop, and the barriers? Unpredictable! One moment they?re solid, the next, gone?vanishing into the dark just long enough to send an unlucky racer into a dead-end or a death drop.
No straightaways, no time to breathe ?- only endless corners, blind turns, and the echoes of roaring engines bouncing off the walls.
-- Yxuara --
Yxuara obscures his eyes behind glossy dark sun-shades that obscure his cyan-furred face only slightly and his fancy poncho and puffed up boots attempts to make quite the scene as he leans against the security barrier and studies the track. He doesn't gamble unless he's certain of a win, so his chosen racer best finish!
-- Hani Marake --
Hani tsks softly to Colo shaking her head a little as she watches the swooops well.. swoop and fly and zoom zoom through the course. She looks over to see Pax approaching and smiles up at him, scooting over to try and make room for him to sit closer. "I just assume that you know everyone I might have met, Colo. Don't you just know everyone on the moon?" She tsktsks softly, teasing.
Hani leans over to see if she can reach to steal some of whatever Pax might have gotten as a snack.
-- Bizz Bliptettjupp --
Bizz guzzles some of that large festive mug of sweet Mandalorian black ale to quench the spiciness of the soup. He raises it to Cin'cirad and the two little girls spit their milk out on the ground. Some of the blue milk splashes on Colo Nell, so sad. Ansra the human girl in her hand-me-down scavenger costume points up at the sponsor seats with excitement. "The Empress of the Void is here!" But the rest of the children are watching the dangerous swoops as the fly. Ansra snatches a fried gi dumpling takoyaki ball from Bizz's tray and pops it in her mouth.
-- Igoz Shaxar --
The Veil is one of the harder parts of the track. At least that Igoz's own opinion. It requires fast reactions; including when to drop to a near sudden stop. Not only is the more difficult sections of the track, but also one of the deadliest. Where it lacks in whirling blades, sudden laser gates, or sudden sprays of questionably clean water? It makes up for in dead-ends, sudden switchback turns, dumpsters, people, other racers, and just Nar Shaddaa itself.
In such narrow confines the roar of the swoop rebounds from one way to another to another. One racer suddenly sounds like a dozen or more. The heavy growl of the swoop rises and falls with each acceleration and deacceleration. While the onboard computer attached to his handlebars ultimately fails him and tags a couple extra seconds onto his time; he still makes good on the Veil's section of the track.
Whether he's in the lead or not? He doesn't know. He's just racing. Somewhere though a cheer goes up for his sponsor, the Empress of the Void. Some Rodian kid with his hat even cheers for her. It's great.
-- Draeven Rhyzakk --
Draeven shifts slightly as more spectators press in, making just enough room for them to squeeze past without breaking his vantage point. Bodies jostle, voices rise, the pulse of the race feeding the frenzy around him. He barely reacts when someone elbows past, too focused on the riders threading through the Crucible's chaos, some barely scraping through without a collision.
-- Ben Relor --
SHUDDER. The Veil. Ben Relor hates this part. Absolutely hates it. It's dark, it's cramped, and everyone is right next to one another. Ben is sweating so much inside that swoopsuit, Five's gonna have to peel it off him at the finish line. But all that fear provides him with something else: the desire to pay attention as much as humanly possible. Squinting through the visor of his helmet, he manages to avoid the sudden changes in barriers, manages to avoid getting swiped by the racers who aren't managing their swoops so well in this part -- in other words, paying attention keeps him very much alive. Enough so that he actually manages to get some lead in the race, probably to his own surprise.
-- Callisto --
Callisto is doing her best to try and stay on the track and attempt to catch back up. She briefly looks back to see who is behind her before snapping her head forward once more, trying to find a way to at least get back into third
-- Evie Kora --
Evie, for her part, is snapped back to reality by the fact that there's someone else in her vicinity again, head whipping over to the side to take in the sight of the intruder... though her lips quirk upwards as she quickly recovers and sees just *who* that intruder is, and wider still at the offering of food. She's been so focused on the race that it completely slipped her mind and... well. The girl's a little hungry.
"Sira! Glad you could make it." she greets enthusiastically, offering the electrobinoculars to her friend. "Take a look at the front of the pack. That one's mine." she boasts proudly. "The guy earned it his last time on this track... though I know it won't be an *easy* race. A lot of the other racers today were there, too."
And honestly, she was impressed by each and every one of them. They made quite the spectacle to be seen. "You look great, by the way! Business armor *achieved*." Because no, that wasn't so much of a joke as it was *justification*. Plus, there's likely a few weapons hidden within the various frills of her dress, so... Regardless, the woman is clearly having a great time, even if she's not the one in the racer's seat today... it definitely helps to have an iron in the fire, so to speak, in the form of a sponsorred racer -- and she definitely seems to have heard Ansra's call out of her title, as she leans out of the box specifically to wave towards Bizz and his entourage of children, flashing a brilliant smile in their direction.
"Sira. Remind me to donate some binocs to the orphanage, would you? Those kids clearly are loving the race as much as I do."
-- Colo Nell --
Settled in with--near, almost against--Hani, Colo doesn't let her distract him too terribly much from the race. Kinda. Almost. Her tsks make his ears burn but his eyes scout and scale the track in hopes of seeing his bets come to fruition. Not that he fails to keep his side of the yelling up, mind. "I know -almost- everyone," He happily lies. "There's a few million in the gap that have yet to have the misfortune. One day, if they're very unlucky..." He muses with a wry lilt to his voice and a passing glance over at--
"Pax, fancy seeing you here. I figured you more for the shockbox circuit."
-- Vonn Daugh --
You know how they say when you're about to die your life flashes before your eyes? Well that's happening to Vonn right now. He remembers right back to the moment where he was taught to actually stay focused when racing. And just because all he does is race doesn't mean that every race is going to be his to win. He's not that good. He might not ever be that good.
In a few seconds here he might be dead.
What he remembers is that he shouldn't be doing anything else while dealing with a track this insane. And that includes switching tracks on the Coronet Dryft soundtrack. Which sends him spiraling into a fit of bad ... well it's not bad luck, it's just BAD. He almost crashes to many deaths many times but does manage to find the rhythm once again.
... and now he's in last place. Is it too late to not enter this race?
-- Axyl Lucayon --
Tight quarters. Hairpin maneuvering. It's Axyl's bread and butter. An accomplished fighter jockey and markedly squirrely target out of a ship, understanding these angles, obstructions, and the vectors to bypass them have been largely part of Lucayon's muscle memory for a long, long while.
A glance of concern snaps to Vonn even as the Shistamandalorian careens past him-- and Relor, and Callisto! Focusing in past the readouts, on the unfolding and increasingly familiar track ahead of him, the Shistavanen breathes deep, grits his teeth, and /flies/.
-- Vega (Ve) --
Vega's perched on the rails and watching the race on one of the screens, trying to see who is going to crash into the walls. Hopefully if anyone does they won't be too badly hurt. Or they'll at least be unconscious and not remember the debacle!
-- Cin'cirad --
The corn offered to Evie, she has her own in hand as she leans a bit forward to look at the race as they zip into the veil. Her eyes turning up toward the monitors as she watches, taking a bite of her own stick of corn. She of course finishes chewing before she's just about to talk - when...
She snaps up the electrobinoculars for the moment, as she hears the call from below, Sira's head swivels down and then she elbows Evie lightly, jerking her head in the direction of the one in the scavenger costume. "/Check it out!/" A flash of a smile to Evie, "You have /fans/." A chuckle and she looks through the electrobinoculars while Evie waves to the fan. Idly, she bites more of the spicy corn and lets out a pleased sigh as she enjoys the rather delicious and spicy bite. Her eyebrows coming up as she sees the twists and turns, getting into the spirit of it as she waves the corn in the air. "WOOOO! GO HAPAN!"
Of course there's no way in hell that Relor would be able to hear her. But it's the thought that counts, right? She shifts, partly leaning on the railing once more as she turns to look at Evie again. "Well thank you, I'm glad to hear that Business armor was achieved. I mean, I do like my fancy dresses and outfits." She gives another snort of a laugh, "You wanna borrow some? And sure, I'll try to remember to tell you to donate binocs to the orphanage that you told me to remind you to do." A tick of an eyebrow, the corners of her mouth barely concealing the smile at her own silliness.
-- Maelstrom --
"You thought The Crucible was bad the first time? Welcome to the Second Pass where the track turns against you!"
Phase-shifting lanes flicker faster than before, switching forks on a whim. Anti-gravity crossings temporarily blow out repolsor lifts, sending drivers into unexpected spins and drops. At random intervals, electrical charges detonate, unleashing blinding arcs of blue-white lightning to lash across the track. The Crucible proves that one pass does not prepare one for the next or the next or the next.
-- Pax Dredic --
Pax Dredic snorts, and lifts his chin is what one presumes is an attempt to look noble and above it all; it ends up looking ridiculous and ironic. To Colo, he says, "I'll have you know I /compete/ in shockboxing. I have much finer, more evolved tastes for my own personal entertainment."
"Er.....right. Yeah."
-- Igoz Shaxar --
Phase-shifting lanes, sudden laser grids, random variable forks, anti-gravity crossings, incoming blaster fire, incoming cargo inspections, former lovers who are suspiciously round in the middle, whirling blades, death defying leaps and bounds, spinning bludgeons, and more! If there's anything that Igoz Shaxar is exceptionally good at? It's evading traps and consequences. Whether through sheer luck or skill, he's got all of his natural parts and no known offspring. He's been quite fortunate in his run so far and that extends beyond the track, too! The Crucible proves to be a long series of unfortunate events that the Falleen swooper seems perfectly adept at avoiding the consequences.
-- Ben Relor --
Ben's swoop bucks violently as he miscalculates a turn, the repulsorlifts cutting out at the worst possible moment. Instead of a clean maneuver, his bike spins out midair, slamming into the edge of a shifting lane before bouncing off into a blind drop. The impact rattles his skull, his grip slipping, his vision blurring, and for a second, it feels like the whole track is tilting away from him. Yelling ensues. By the time he wrestles control back, he's already bled speed, lost position, and is inches from another collision. But braking is death -- he leans into the momentum, redirecting his drop into a lower lane instead of slamming into a barrier. Really, it's a good thing he has half a brain, a brain he's used in many a high-stress situation before, usually involving guns, bombs, and other things that can kill you.
The phase-shifting lanes flicker erratically, but nothing mechanical is truly random...he watches for a slight lag in one section and commits before it solidifies. When anti-grav crossings kill his repulsors, he doesn't fight the fall -- he uses it, slingshotting forward the second his systems re-engage. Lightning arcs across the track, but the scorch marks tell him where it's already struck, so he aims for dead zones, taking only a glancing hit instead of a full charge. He's lost ground, but he won't stay behind! He feints a pass, forcing a weaker racer into a bad line, and the track takes them instead. He's still in the fight. Rattled but kickin'.
-- Axyl Lucayon --
Lasers, fanblades, and disappearing grav-bridges, OH MY! The escalation is different from other runs on the course-- but gathering intel is another of Lucayon's particular skills. A night in a cantina, a conversation with a group of pazaak-playing old racers, the details let slip from an oddsmaker's assistant, and well... he's on top of that, leaping off one barrier to bypass a missing roadway, landing in a smooth arc and feathering the throttle as he chases after the the illustrious, in-the-zone Igoz.
Sparing only peripheral glances for the space behind his own swoop, the Shistamandalorian centers in on the last spans of death-defying track to cover, resolute-- with gritted teeth drifting notably towards a wide, wolfish grin as the wind whips at his jowls.
-- Vonn Daugh --
Vonn knows when a cause is lost and right now is the time to try and do that thing where you just finish the race. He's way too far behind to make up for lost time and the only thing on his mind now is to not die. He's got the swoop back under control and that's really all he can think about in these dire moments. He's all but given up on winning and now there's only one goal in mind: survival.
Especially with this TERRIFYING nonsense up ahead. What The Force!
-- Vran (vr) --
Vran watches the race with a sigh. Bet on Vonn. Great choice. He rummages in his pockets to start getting his payment to Vianna ready.
-- Evie Kora --
It's a nailbiting -- or in Evie's case, corn-biting -- race for the finish line, and the Empress is likely to wake up the next morning without a voice... but she's okay with that. She doesn't have any meetings scheduled for the next couple days, though with the war raging on in the galaxy, that's liable to change. Afterall, while publically she earns her credits repairing and upgrading various ships... she's also very much a merchant of death who's happy to equip those people fighting, or just trying to stay alive during the war.
"Which one's the Hapan?" she asks of Sira, flashing a lopsided grin in the other woman's direction. While sometimes you could tell a Hapan by sight.... well. From this far away, at high speed, probably under a racing helmet? of some sort? She's less than confident in knowing just who her friend's referring to. But she's *very* confident in her own racer, at least -- and with the course being as daunting a battle as it is, she's glad that she set up the event to prep some of the racers tonight. She'd *like* them all to survive to put on yet another show, even if she *specifically* wants her own racer to win.
"...and I'll remind you to remind me. And yes! You clearly have great style. We should totally raid each others' closets." Evie adds to Sira with a bright grin. "...you know. 'long as you don't mind things being a little short." Because the Kuati woman is definitely smaller.
-- Bizz Bliptettjupp --
Bizz's orphans point excitedly at the race. Dia the little Twi'lek girl says, "Ben Relor didn't hit the WALL this time!" Sonaa the tiny Togruta girl points at Callisto and screams, "The Purple Lady is almost second!" The other children have discovered the Uj'alayi cake pops on sticks dripping with sticky uj'ayl syrup and are both eating and getting their hands or elephantine trunk sticky.
-- Cin'cirad --
When Sira's looking back to the track, she sees the lanes start to flicker, the random changes to the forks, anti-gravity... All sorts of different hazards that seem to crop up at they start in on the second time around. "Oof, those look like some fun obstacles." She gives another chomp to the corn she's holding, having finished almost half of it by now. She's so caught up in the energy of everyone, it's hard for her to fully enjoy it. Though it definitely is tasty, it's just so much going on and her eyes are trying to follow all of it.
Whether that was the spat out blue milk, or Hani stealing some of Colo's snacks. Pax taking a seat near both of them as she ponders who exactly Colo is. A pull of her mouth to the side, "I'll have to ask Hani."
She takes in snatches of the race as she keeps people watching and turning back toward Evie again while taking another bite of corn. Nodding her head and jerking it at first toward one of the screens, "The Kid, uh-" she double checks, "Relor. He's not actually. But, since I'm teaching him some flight, he gets the callsign I choose." She flashes a wicked grin at that and glances once more. Wincing as she sees Relor's hard landing.
A laugh and her head turns back with a flash of a smile, "Eh, we'll make it work. I am /down/ for this idea. Though, sorry-not-sorry if I raid something you like." She grins a bit wider at Evie, "So-" She looks back to the screens, "Which one is yours? Err... I-i-igoz?"
-- Hani Marake --
Hani has no qualms about stealing more of Pax's snacks, as he's distracted and she watches the tense race going on below. "I am remembering why I dont often come to these races. I get worried for all of them." She comments quietly to Colo and Pax both. "It's so /fast/."
"Only a few million who haven't had the pleasure of your company, Colo? You ARE slacking." Hani teases lightly before she looks up at the screens. "Who are you betting on, Colo?" She assumes he's bettign on /someone/, a sure fact of the universe.
-- Maelstrom --
"Oh, ho ho ho! This is my favorite part, Swoopers and spectators! The GAUNTLET is gonna chew up these would-be victors into a confetti of sparks and metal! The Grot will eat well tonight!"
Blazing laser grids snap in and out of existence, leaving only split-second openings and an acrid burning of ozone. Too slow? Be glad if you make it out only with burns. Past those are the artificial vortices; massive wind tunnels that are roaring non-stop in the hopes of slingshoting a swoop into a spiked wall or bisected across a iron girder.
Honestly, by this point the pinning blades that one must drive through seems a bit like overkill.
-- Pax Dredic --
Pax Dredic holds the bag out to Hani in an automatic sort of gesture that speaks to...well. Intimacy. You just don't DO that for people you don't know REALLY well. With a little frown, he says to Hani and Colo, "I had a seat in the race tonight. Got stuck in Corellia customs control, and couldn't make it back." He harumphs like an old man. "Karffin /imps,/ man. They are messing everything up." His head turns to Colo. "There's someone you HAVEN'T uh....gotten to know?"
-- Yxuara --
Yxuara's fur ripples as he is distracted by a breeze and the squib slips over to one of the food vendors and returns with a bright red pickled onion in a bottle, taking care to peel each layer down to the stone in the center as he chews. "What did I miss?" he pipes to the bystander next to him, "Death? Why are we cheering?" He leans forward and nods, "All seems to be well--it's like a bad trip to work, this is."
-- Igoz Shaxar --
The accelerating seems to be stuck on Igoz's swoop and he simply leans into it. Rather than affecting repairs, he hunkers down to make the most of the breakneck speeds. He grins however, despite the fact that debris from the track is kicked up into his face and leaves it (and his mouth) feeling gritty. He reaches to the utility belt that encompasses his waist and withdraws a cylindrical object. It's no ion grenade, but given that some of the racers in his wake suffered from the deployment of one in their previous exposure to the track? Well, that's why he's grinning. It's nothing more than a fist-sized, bright blue bouncy ball that he nonchalantly tosses aside and leaves bouncing in his wake.
GRENADE!
Wait, no it's not.
The gambit cost Igoz a couple kilometers per hour on account of the slight fish-tailing swerve that his swoop undertakes, but he's quick to get it under control again.
-- Colo Nell --
Snacks fly and snacks fade. Colo minds them not at all! He's concerned with monitoring the swoops most of all, Hani second, Pax third and -being- monitored (by the likes of Sira's curious gaze) not at all. The crowd's stacked with people he knows and doesn't, so he focuses on... "All of them? See, that's where ya gotta harden your heart, Hani. Only focus on the ones that matter." As if on cue, he continues. "Hani 'Hard Heart' has a nice ring to it. You ever consider shockboxing...?"
But lest he go too far afield in search of another gambling opportunity, Colo keeps to the serious questions. Well, the semi-serious ones. He gives Pax a small smirk before he continues to answer. "Oh, sure. I've got a spread-bet on Ben, for instance, that pays off if he doesn't get first but doesn't get last, right? Middle-of-the-pack!" Exuberantly, Colo presses further. "A small bet on Callisto. New racer's luck, right? That one's long odds, but big payoff. But the main bet's on Igoz. I think he knows his shavit. I am praying he does, anyway. Is Falleen luck a thing?"
-- Callisto --
Callisto takes some slow deep breath as she does her best to focus, she is doing her best to stay in third or better. Briefly biting on her bottom lip as she does her best to try and block anyone from getting around her.
-- Ben Relor --
Chaos is a beautiful thing to Ben. He's not gonna dodge it, he's gonna use it. The laser grids flicker, but machines follow patterns. All of this shavit makes sense if you just pay attention and treat it like a battle. Which he does. He threads through just as the next flicker drops, the heat searing close but not enough to stop him. The vortices are worse -- random to most, but not to someone watching for cycles. He shifts at the last second, riding the blast instead of fighting it, while some of the other racers...yeah, some of you aren't okay.
Then there's Igoz's damn blue ball. No time. No clean exit. Ben watches, waits -- then slips beneath it just as it rebounds. He grins crazily, but there's no time for that, either. The pinning blades close in -- too slow and he's dead. He picks the fastest-moving set, the ones with momentum, not hesitation. His swoop slices through the gap in a blur. Against all odds, Ben Relor slides into second place.
-- Evie Kora --
"If you want to try the course sometime, I've got a racing swoop and friends at the track..." ...and a racing pod, for that matter. The Empress takes her need for speed personally, to say the least. "Y'know, if your land-skills are as good as your space-skills." she teases with a wink to puncuate the statement. When she mentions teaching Relor how to fly, Evie's brows arch. "You are? Good! Flight instructor is a tough, but very rewarding job in the military. I was Kylo's, until..." They both committed treason in pretty quick succession. Was there a link? Maybe. Maybe not. "...so if you need a guest speaker sometime, feel free to give me a yell. I'd say Poe could vouch for me, but you've *seen* what I can do."
In the sims, at least.
"If you do more power to you!" she adds, "I have credits, chum. If you get *ideas* I can have them made. It's the great part of not being in the military anymore." Instead of working to make someone else powerful, she makes herself rich. .... and gave herself a promotion at the same time, SO. "And yes, Igoz!"
...though as they enter The Gauntlet, she lowers her voice and widens her eyes in an almost impossibly large manner. This is the *good* part. "We might see some wrecks here. Let's see if they can get through this in one piece..."
-- Axyl Lucayon --
Pleasure gives way to chaos as a spinning blade clips the rear of Axyl's swoop bike, shearing off a chunk of metal along with a spray of protesting sparks as the swoop is sent sidelong into a skid that nearly carries the Shistamandalorian right -into- a laser grid-- and being giblets is not an appealing finish to any fight.
Twisting the controls nearly ninety degrees, Lucayon slams the throttle sidelong, turns back, and roars back into a proper orientation for the race-- narrowly avoiding a pulverizing piston that seeks to crush him into a resilient durasteel block. All the space he suddenly gained is lost-- but this is the pace of SWOOP RACING.
Right on the tail of the entire pack, Lucayon cranks up the tunes in his own helmet, re-sets his canine jaw, and pours everything he's got into the final stretch!
-- Vonn Daugh --
When you've got nothing left to lose you just push it. That's another one of the things he was taught on those streets he learned to race on. Obstacles and potential death galore. Maybe the only way through is through. This leg of the race is going to be insane so there's no reason why he's going to let off the gas as it were. It's all about speed at this point. Vonn has a lot of catching up to do and maybe, just maybe, he won't die in the process.
Also, the main theme from Coronet Dryft is playing right now so it's all cinematic and what not in this moment.
-- Cin'cirad --
Sira jerks her head toward the cup that seems to be doing a good job of starting to - err- melt the top a bit. "Tiingilar, in case you wanted it. It definitely looks like a spicy batch." Her eyebrow quirks up at that, then back to Evie. "Oh! That's right, you missed the Beach Party - or at least I didn't see you there. We had a Tiingilar competition. Quite the turn out for the Clans - and un-Clanned - as it were." She leans a little bit out to look down as she sees a ripple of fur, a flicker of a smile as she recognizes Yxuara.
"Hey! I think that food vendor is here. Too bad he's not selling, made a mean nerf burger. I totally would have snagged one for you." She glances once more toward the field to see how things are going. She lets out a whistle of appreciation as she sees Relor get a bit further ahead. "Wow, this is on crazy as kriff race." She turns her head back toward Evie and she flashes a smile.
"Really? We can give this place a rice during the off hours? Well - count me in." She gives another laugh and eats some more of the corn as it's Evie's turn to talk. Nodding her head and then a bit of a waggle back and forth as she finishes chewing. "Well," She finishes the bite, "The next one is still in the sims. But after that, I'll probably be taking him out somewhere for some practice not in the Sims. Unless you wanna lecture about Astrogation?"
But as Evie confirms her belief, and turns to watch, so does Sira. "Oh yeah? I mean, wrecks are never my favorite part but - Hey, good racing is good racing, right?"
-- Pax Dredic -- Pax Dredic shrugs to Colo. "It is if they win." The he looks over, grinning a poodoo-eating grin. The bag of sweetened snacks is held out to Colo. "It'll put hair on your chest. Or...you know, maybe your teeth fall out. One of the two."
-- Vran (vr) -- "Someone crash already!" Vran yells out towards the track, "We want blood! blood! blood! Blood!" he starts to chant with some others in his section. Mostly while looking at Ben.
-- Vega (Ve) --
Vega gives a look over her shoulder to see some of the faces in the crowd. She doesn't really know too many people, but she's also been focused on doing her duty as a mechanic. Hopefully she wouldn't be needing to weld anyones swoop back together after this! For now, the woman stays on her railing perch like the little gremlin that she is.
-- Maelstrom --
"Racers! If you?re still here, you already know?the Void Helix is done playing fair! HAHAHAHA! One more pass might be your last!"
The Third Pass is where legends are made ,or where they burn out. Lanes change as fast as a blink while electrical pulses rip across the field. Repulsors failing, systems frying, and a crowd cheering and jeering for more.
Those who crashed but didn't fall now clog up passageways, limiting options and demanding racers react on instinct and not thought. Flaming wreckage, flying debris, and now waves of pulsating interference seeks to scramble the gadgetry in HUDs and swoopsuit helmets.
-- Maelstrom --
For all the faltering, explosions, crashing NPCs that no one will remember, and tons of vehicular carnage, our main racers have stayed relatively neck-and-neck. No one had a sure-fire lead where they could cruise the rest of the way. No, good swoop tracks do not work like that.
Then the five remaining racers come screaming out of the final loop of the Crucible and back onto The Spine, there are positions teetering, shifting, and changing all the way to the last second.
First to cross the finish line at the very last moment is... Ben Relor! He takes First Place having barely overtaken Igoz Shaxar nipping at Relor's heels and taking second place!
A few heartbeats behind is Axyl and Vonn. Their speeders are literally neck-and-neck, colliding together to drive one another off and vie for that coveted third place. Axyl's swoop clips Vonn, sending the latter into a dizzying spiral that sees the bike screech to its side over the finish line... a split second behind Axyl Lucayon who takes Third place!
Pulling up the rear, Callisto suffers a catastrophic system failure from one last electrical blast from the Crucible. Repulsors give out completely and sheer momentum flings her across the line, hitting a padded barrier so that she may, at least, walk away from this minor crash.
-- Draeven Rhyzakk --
Draeven watches as the track turns vicious, shifting from controlled chaos to sheer carnage. The announcer's laughter barely registers over the roar of engines and the violent shriek of metal against metal as wreckage clogs the course. Some racers weave through the destruction with impossible precision, others aren't so lucky. A swoop clips a downed wreck, spins wildly out of control, and slams into the barrier shielding the crowd. The impact rattles through the durasteel, sending a ripple of excitement through the gathered spectators.
Draeven doesn't flinch.
Instead, he exhales slowly, eyes tracking the survivors threading through electrical pulses and shifting lanes. A flicker of a smirk tugs at the edge of his muzzle as he watches one racer dance through the chaos, barely scraping by with each impossibly close maneuver. He rumbles low under his breath, chuckling.
Then the final stretch unfolds, and the racers come screaming onto The Spine, vying for their positions in a last-ditch surge of speed and desperation. His gaze flicks toward the aftermath, the chaos of victory, loss, and near disaster. "Hells of a race," he mutters, tipping his head toward the track.
-- Vran (vr) --
Vran applauds with a yell for the finishers and a check of who actually made it to the end. His bet wasn't the best, but at least everyone he knew that was racing made it out in one piece. He quickly looks towards the crowd to find Vianna to make sure no one comes to break his legs.
-- Bizz Bliptettjupp --
Bizz peels back the foil and gnaws on a Mandalorian street corn cob slathered with a creamy Mando pepper & Tiingilar sauce, then washes away the spiciness with the large festive mug of sweet Mandalorian black ale. "The third pass! This is where the fun begins!" Glim the pink Cragmoloid boy with his elephant-like trunk, Sonaa the tiny Togruta girl, Dia the little Twi'lek girl, Hylie the Mirialan girl, and Ansra the human girl in her hand-me-down scavenger costume all watch the race in suspense on the edge of their seats. It is squeaky bum time, as the Corellians say. Yes they say that.
When Ben Relor wins the children cheer. "Ben Relor didn't hit the wall!"
-- Yxuara --
Yxuara pauses in the middle of rubbing the red onion brine on his forearms and cheers! Licking the juice off his fingers, Yxuara pulls out his datapad and checks his bets. <Take that!> he pipes into his communicator, obviously luck was on his side this race! Or rather skill! He smacks his tongue while he considers the appropriate level of tip for this victory.
-- Axyl Lucayon --
One. More. Lap.
Once more unto the breach; the breach, in this case, being a swoop track that hungers for death, dismemberment, and fire. With steady alacrity, Lucayon regains some of the positions lost in his shower of sparks and near-obliteration... just barely. Prow in tail in prow in tail the racers jockey for position, with Axyl just narrowly edging out Vonn Daugh at the final moment to speed across the finish line.
At the rate which swoops travel, it's almost always a photo finish-- but as he glides past the signal with Relor and Igoz ahead of him, the Shistamandalorian knows the situation before the audience as a whole, and nods respectfully to the pair-- his smile still intact, some char on the back of his suit as he glides to the shoulder and surveys the grid to make sure everyone else made it through in one piece. This, it seems, supercedes any celebratory podium glory.
-- Ben Relor --
Here's the thing about Ben Relor: he is the king of the underdogs. The champion of the little guy. Friend to the oppressed -- which means himself, more often than not. So it's gonna be the total space equivalent of David and Goliath as Ben's swoop screams through the Third Pass, the track shifting so fast it feels like it's coming apart beneath him. The shitty onboard computer flickers, glitching from interference, but it's still feeding him data -- just enough to give him the edge. The lane shifts aren't random, just fast. He reroutes power, overriding stabilizers to keep his repulsors from flickering out at the worst moment.
Flaming wreckage and dead swoops block the path ahead. No clean exit, no time to think. But his system flags a micro-delay in the next lane shift, a half-second gap just big enough to thread through. He doesn't hesitate. Throttle open, body low, he forces his swoop into the gap just as it flickers back into existence, leaving the carnage behind.
Then -- the finish line. And Igoz is still ahead. Against all odds, Ben cuts low, blasting forward in the last half-second -- past Igoz, past the chaos -- and across the line.
Winner. By the width of a breath.
Ben takes off his helmet, so high on adrenaline that he lets out a wild cackle, a whoop of a laugh, and tosses his helmet in the air. Shellshocked.
-- Igoz Shaxar --
The final leg of the race is a hair-raising one. Not that Igoz has hair aside from the inky black topknot that's coiled about the crown of his head, beneath his helmet. He doesn't look back, he doesn't look to the side. Not until there's something in his peripheral vision that looks like a spiced-out human slowly edging by him on the bantha poodoo-iest swoop that had ever been squeezed out of one of the immense, reeking piles of fur. Igoz busy enough in that moment, staring at the spice junkie that he forgets to win the race as the other rider squeezes on by in the last few dozen meters of the course.
He begins to slow by virtue of coasting along on his gradually decreasing momentum. A hard fought race and he came in second. Not his ideal place judging by the frown that overtakes his mammal-reptilian features. For a moment his emerald green coloring shifts to a dull orange, before beginning to bleed back into the green once more. The celebration of the victor, Relor, results in a look cast his way by Igoz. He considers him for a moment and with a small shake of his head, seemingly at himself, he gives a cheering shout toward Ben.
-- Vonn Daugh --
Coronet Dryft soundtrack skips as Vonn's swoop is clipped and he ends up going sideways across the finish line... after pretty much everyone else. He finds a way to come to a stop and just sighs, leaning back in his seat and closing his eyes. The he music in his helmet slowly fades as he tacks on another loss to his record. "Never again."
He doesn't have a chance to blow another bubble because he must've swallowed his gum during the more death defying moments. Which is why he pops his helmet off and pops in another piece. His eyes closing so that he can sit and chew softly in his racing failure but survival success.
But which one actually matters more?
-- Evie Kora --
For a moment, Evie thinks that her racer might have won the race! ...but when the final standings are displayed on the board, well, she's left with her jaw hanging for a couple moments.
"Oh wow." she offers softly, stunned by this turn of events for a moment before the smile comes back wide, her arm reaching out to go around Sira and the excitable Kuati already starting to jump up and down. "Hey! Hey! That was your guy, right? Hapan!" Yup, Evie's buying in on the callsign, too. "I thought my guy had it, but he still did awesome. Definitely did me proud, even if I would have loved a wiiiiin."
She'll grant, though. Second is still pretty great, and it was *such* a close second that it could have easily been a win had the finishline been just a foot or two shorter than it was. Her hand reaches up to give a big thumbs up to her driver -- clearly very proud of Igoz's racing today, and glad the new crop of racers is looking as promising as they are.
-- Callisto --
Callisto was trying to hard to keep up but that electrical blast did a number to her swoop causing the entire vehicle to just shut off entirely. Unable to steer she lands into that padded barrier and not the wall thankfully. She waits a few moments before she gets herself out of the swoop, her hand extending to the roof as she steadies herself. A wave offered with her free hand to show she is ok. She does however head over towards the medics to make sure she isn't suffering a potential concussion.
-- Yxuara --
<Going to hear about designing longer racing swoops all evening, I already know it.> Yxuara says into his communicator. <You don't have to be fifth-silent engineer to know a longer swoop just crashes first when it hits something.> He's going to stroll over to the vehicle hangars, datapad in hand as he scrolls up the necessary salvage contracts.
-- Vianna Soleil --
Vianna flutters her eyelashes at Vran as he pays her. "Better luck next race~," she says, slipping the creds ... somewhere in her outfit. She was clearly chosen for her looks and knack for not wearing a lot. Distraction is great for taking bets, people are looking elsewhere, thinking about other things, rather than paying attention to their money.
She does catch the thrilling finish, seeming, well, not terribly interested in the outcome before she just leaves the racetrack.
-- Cin'cirad --
Tossing the husk into the trash, she grabs a napkin to wipe her gloves with, fastidiously wiping at them as she looks up in time for the final stretch. "No /kriffing/ way." She moves up closer to the railing, and starts shouting.
"GO! GO! GO! HAPAN! YOU CAN DO IT! WOOOOOOO!" And then in what was likely a photo-finish, at those speeds, she looks up in time to see it. There, in first place, Ben Relor. She lets out a laugh, the laugh growing louder until she's grabbing at her sides. Then Evie is is there and is hugging her and jumping. Sira doing much the same as she can only laugh and nod. Her eyes filled with tears of mirth.
"Oh my stars! Oh my stars... Hapan--!" She keeps laughing. and celebrating in the sort of high-energy moment with Evie. She's laughing so hard that she's crying as she points at the screen. She can't stop herself, "Oh my stars. Oh my stars!" She's snorting, amidst her laughter. "And his fa-a-a-ace!" She cackles yet more as she can't bring herself to look any more at Ben celebrating.
Something about him being that over the top wild with joy and adrenaline just hit her in the right way for her to find it hilarious. "Evie! I can't believe that Race! That was amazing!"
