Part 13 (1/2)

Podraces on Tatooine always drew crowds. Hundreds, even thousands of spectators, eager to watch the racers speed through the course. Even more eager to watch them crash and burn.

But here, there were no crowds.

Only the wealthiest, most elite gamblers of Muun society were given access to the secret race's location. Fewer than twenty Muuns had a.s.sembled in the deserted wilderness.

Rather than exposing themselves to the day's blistering sunlight, they hovered in climate controlled transparisteel bubbles. Podrace cam droids would follow the racers through the course, beaming the images back to the Muuns' viewscreens. Wrecking crews stood by in case of a crash. There were no medical technicians. That was an expense the Muuns were unprepared to pay.

Especially since Podrace crashes rarely left survivors.

The starting point was located well outside of Pilaan, on a wide, dusty plain. In the distance loomed a rocky cliffside, split by a deep, narrow crevice. According to the map, navigating this would be the first hurdle of the race.

Not a problem, Luke told himself, waiting at the starting line. I've got it under control. I've got it under control.

His friends stood in a tight clump around him, all looking like they were attending a funeral. The other Podracers and their crews cl.u.s.tered a few feet away, staring at Luke.

Han kept shooting nervous glances at a burly Phlog, but the others focused all their attention on Luke.

”Luke, I can't let you do this,” Leia said in a worried voice. ”What if something goes wrong again?”

But R2-D2 had checked and rechecked every inch of the Podracer. It was in full working order. If there was a failure, it wouldn't be a mechanical one.

”Nothing will go wrong,” Luke said, sounding more certain than he felt. ”I can win this.”

”You could die die,” Leia reminded him.

Han glared at her. ”Great pep talk, Your Wors.h.i.+p.”

”He doesn't need a pep talk,” Leia said angrily. ”He needs to hear the truth. And the truth is that he can't do this. No human can.”

”It's true that statistically, Master Luke has very little chance of surviving this course,”

C-3PO put in, ”but in fact a full search of the galactic Podracing records has revealed a historical precedent for-”

”I don't care if no human has ever done it before,” Luke interrupted. ” I I can.” can.”

”So that's what this is about?” Leia asked hotly. ”You're trying to prove something?”

”I'm trying trying to help the Alliance,” Luke reminded her. ”And if I die today, at least I'll die trying to do what's right. Some things are more important than my life, Leia. Bigger. to help the Alliance,” Luke reminded her. ”And if I die today, at least I'll die trying to do what's right. Some things are more important than my life, Leia. Bigger.

You taught me that.” taught me that.”

”Don't throw my words back at me, to defend a stupid idea like this,” Leia shouted.

”Then I won't say anything else,” Luke said quietly. ”You know how I feel.”

Leia narrowed her eyes. ”Fine. I can't stop you. But I don't have to stick around here and watch you die.”

She stormed away before Luke could respond.

”Where are you going?” Han called after her. ”Come back!”

Luke shook his head. ”Let her go,” he said quietly. ”She's right. It's better if she's not here for this.”

”Hey, kid, you know you're going to be okay, right?” Han asked.

Chewbacca growled in agreement.

”We believe in you,” Elad added. ”Leia does, too.”

”I know,” Luke said. ”And that's all I need.”

But as his friends wished him good luck and joined the other crews, Luke knew that was a lie. He climbed into the Podracer as it was towed into position at the starting line.

He was alone in this. It didn't matter whether his friends believed in him.

He had to believe in himself.

Luke eyed the other racers. To his immediate right was a Glymphid, his suction-tipped fingers piloting a red brute of a Podracer. The alien shot him a c.o.c.ky grin. On his other side, a k.n.o.bby-headed Nuknog glowered behind the controls of his Bin Ga.s.si Quadrijet.

Luke s.h.i.+fted in his seat, trying to find the best position. His too-long limbs jutted out at all angles, and he was folded into the cramped c.o.c.kpit built for a much smaller being.

But before Luke could get comfortable, the starting lights glowed. Red...Orange... Green! Green!

Wind and gravel bit into Luke's face as he surged forward. The Podracer was like a wild animal, bucking and heaving beneath him. The world swept past in smears of blue and gray. A constant thunder of air rumbled in his ears, and the billowing dust clouds blown up by the stream of Podracers nearly blinded him. He tipped left, then pulled to the right, but overcorrected. The Podracer listed to the side, nearly overturning. Luke pulled up hard, just barely holding his balance. Three of the other racers had all whizzed past, disappearing into the dark crevice in the cliffside.

The fourth, a quad-engined Balta-Trabaat BT310 flown by a Xexto, went in at the wrong angle, and smacked its lower left engine into the side of the cliff. It exploded.

Flames rippled up the cables connecting the engine to the c.o.c.kpit, and a moment later, the Xexto and his Podracer burst into a ball of fire.

Luke flew erratically, struggling to gain control. He tried to catch his breath, but choked on the acrid smoke streaming from the Xexto's wreckage. The Podracer was fighting him, shuddering at his touch. The cliff drew closer, a vertical sheet of rock. His body went rigid with fear. The entrance was only a few feet wider than the Podracer. If Luke miscalculated his approach, or if the Podracer spun out of control, his race would be over nearly before it began. Along with his life.

No, he thought furiously, relaxing his grip on the controls. Don't think about that. Don't think about that.

Don't think about anything.

Luke took a deep breath. The Force was out there, he reminded himself. Surrounding him. Supporting him. It filled him, as it filled his s.h.i.+p. He wasn't strong enough, wasn't fast enough, to gain control over the Podracer.

But maybe he could be wise enough to release it.

Luke let his instincts take over. He stopped worrying about what might happen, or about what he had to do. He let the s.h.i.+p guide him. Exhilaration rushed through him, a sheer joy in speed.

The cliff towered over him.

Luke aimed the s.h.i.+p at the narrow opening of the crevice.

He accelerated, pus.h.i.+ng the Podracer as fast as it could go.