Chapter 7: Aphadus, Track 3

It had been at least four days. The world of Aphadus was like nothing that Neo had ever seen before. The planet of forever dawn was exactly what it was. Standing near the top peak plateau of Mount Nehru, he had a pleasant view of the dark forests. Beyond these dark plants were greenish lands and then desert. Being a tidally locked world, one side was always facing its sun. The red starlight was dim but not enough to make things dark. Being at the equilibrium of the hemisphere of the planet, the temperatures were generally nominal and comfortable. Weather patterns were typically calm at the moment as the planetary wobble still circulated the heat around. Near the end that was aimed towards the sun, the planet was scorching, with the other side in complete darkness and ice.

It was these polar opposites that were used to identify the people of this particular colony. The former inhabitants of North America and India had claimed this place as their own. Its large size was more than enough for the colonists, even if certain areas were limited to living space. Being a primarily mountainous world, there were numerous areas to climb and look upon the ground below.

Neo enjoyed the view for as long as he could. He noticed how little the oxygen content was. He had to avoid overexerting himself to face the threat of passing out. He gazed upon the nearest mountain peak ahead. Mount Wichita would leave a shadow behind itself, but the hot, scorching deserts would pervade beyond it. The lakes that existed here were the color of a deep purple due to the red dwarf star in the dawning horizon. In the distance, he could hear the dance music of Aphadus as it played in the speakers near the track line. It consisted of electro-Indian, and a mix of retro remixes of North American music made just before 2100 on former Earth.

“Beautiful,” he tried to say as he could feel the lack of air was driving his lungs crazy.

“Have you taken your oxygen supplement?” Cordeina asked as she almost snuck behind him. Her hand pressed firmly against his shoulder.

He turned his head to look up at her. “Not yet ... I just wanted to see how long I could last while enjoying all of this. It’s amazing that the people have adapted to this.”

“You should have my lungs or wear what Oluchi has,” she happily told him. “You wouldn’t have a problem.”

“No ... I just get a gimp leg instead. I heard that some of the best athletes come from this place. They are used to the poor air. I’ve been used to all the sea critters that supply the air on Oshun. Here ... ugh...”

She patted his shoulder. “It’s pretty. Purple lakes ... I wonder what it would be like for Vala’rein and me to take a dip in them.”

He turned his head to look at her. “After this race, I’ll entertain the idea.”

“Oh, you better be,” she implied with some slyness. “I’ll have a surprise for you ... something that you’ll be able to feast upon when we go skinny dipping together.” She pressed her hand to her breast to indicate to him what she meant. “I almost didn’t even need to use the pregnancy test to know that you already accomplished it.”

He put his hand to hers upon hearing it. “It makes me happy to hear that, but you already told me that you were pregnant a couple of days ago. I just wish ... I wish that Vala’rein’s cycle wasn’t that far late.”

Cordeina took his comment in mind as she seemed to think about it. She had a big smile develop on her face as she understood what he meant or had devised of something.

After Neo had finished looking at the scenery, he began to mark the racetrack. This was going to be a unique track indeed. He could see the great straightaway that led downward. Built on the side of Mount Nehru, it would perpetually lead down for what looked like kilometers upon kilometers of straight track. The straightaway even led through tunnels and ultimately a level area. Then, a series of turns would finally lead back up the mountain to go down the great straightaway again. He turned his head as he looked back upon the other racers in their respected workshop tents. A gathering of spectators was there, with most of them being native Aphadians. The low oxygen content never seemed to bother them as he could see the other non-natives that never lived there were moving around rather slowly. Not far was the racetrack starting line and the road that led up to this place.

He left Cordeina there to admire the view. His route was to the person he needed to talk to the most, but there were others that he didn’t mind talking to along the way. Oluchi had stepped out of his tent. The respected racer was wearing a special mask that was dawned over his face. The apparatus was designed to help supply the extra oxygen on this high-altitude landscape. He already knew why he was wearing it while he pulled out his hybrid motorcycle from his workshop. There was still plenty of time, with an hour left before the race. He approached him to talk to him.

“Feel ready to race?” Neo asked Oluchi.

“More than ready,” he answered in his Oshunian non-cheery disposition. “You?”

“Ready to break the sound barrier.”

“You’ll get the chance but not me. Enjoy it.”

The mask blocked much of his emotional view for Neo to read off of, but he could tell that Oluchi wasn’t looking forward to this race, and all for a good reason. He could hear the oxygen mask that was filtering in and out for him to breathe.

“I keep forgetting that you’re going to be exposed to the outside of all this during this race,” Neo remarked.

“Yes, you and Meifen get to live in your little pods, but with me, I have to wear this. It sucks because it obstructs some of my view. Even the alien visitors don’t have to worry about it.”

“At least half of the track is going to be the straightaway. Not much to really hold you down.”

“That coming from the person who is going to leave me behind.”

Neo was aware of the limitations that some of the vehicles were going to have on this particular track. If anything, this was going to allow him some form of redemption in his record so far.

“Well, I guess I can’t complain,” Neo continued. “My true chance to beat some of the main opposition.”

“Hmmm...” Oluchi said as he looked back at his bike. “At least I will get a chance to see this track one last time.”

Oluchi was looking at the scenery some as Neo looked with him. “This is your last tour. Why retire?”

He shook his head in response. “I’ve been racing for some time. Everything is changing, and I can see it. The next generation needs to replace me. Hell, I remember Gabatrix when he came to enjoy the races. Now with him gone, I need to consider moving towards better things.”

“So, you’re just going to live in your fancy mansion for the rest of your life?”

Oluchi waved his hand at him as he looked at his bike. “No. I’m not completely quitting from racing. I’ll still be a part of it but on the sidelines.” He patted his motorcycle. “I’ve been training my nephew, who is getting a knack for racing. This bike is going to him, so you’ll get some further competition in the future. With me, I plan on serving as an assistant announcer, advertise, and do what I can to carry the legacy my father left before me.”

“I couldn’t argue against an idea in any way,” Neo said. “I just wish I could’ve done better these last two races.”

Oluchi almost seemed to frown even if the mask obscured much of it. “Before Meifen took the scene, I won all the races, but there was a time in the beginning that I never did well at all. I remember feeling like I was betraying my father, but he always told me that there were times that I would do well and other times the odds would be stacked against me. After twenty years of racing, you see the ups and downs very well. Don’t feel like you’re going to completely lose this competition. Reaching it this far is more than enough. If anything, I respect the fact that you pushed it this far. First place, last place, it doesn’t matter too much at this point. Especially with the Itreans to be a part of this.”

Neo put his hand to his chin as he seemed to consider his words. Oluchi was never the sort of person to deliver his speeches well, but the thought mattered. He could listen to the words of a racing veteran a hundred times over rather than the words of the rude boasting Meifen.

“Yeah, I just can’t stand Meifen, though,” Neo remarked. “I really thought she wasn’t going to win against the Itreans, but she’s kicking everyone’s asses.”

“You know that Meifen reminds me of me when I was younger. Prideful and invincible.”

“Really?” Neo’s brow lifted in surprise to hear it. He crossed his arms as he listened to him.

“Yes. I was very much like her when I started to win the races. Go and watch the recordings of my past victories. I didn’t say some of the things that she said, but I used different words that meant the same thing. Of course, age has a way of tempering the soul. By the time she came into the scene, I had calmed down, and she started to do her methods. I realized then that the races were very much like that ... cycles. You start from the beginning, go around the track, and eventually, you come back from where you started. Allows you to really analyze life.”

“You sound like you’re going to miss this.”

He nodded his head. “Yes, I will...” He sighed. “Yes, I will ... but don’t take your losses at heart. Meifen might be the grand champion now, but that position won’t last forever.” Oluchi turned to look at the racing line. “Now, if you excuse me, I have a race to compete in.”

Neo nodded his head at the racing veteran. He watched as he took his motorcycle towards the starting line. He took his words to heart as he walked towards the other tents. Much like the beaches at Oshun, each workshop was carefully distanced apart from one another. Work crews that worked with some of the teams would come in and out of them, except for his, Vala’rein, and Serrein’s. The Itreans seemed like they could easily handle the low oxygen content. If anything, it didn’t even bother them at all.

In order to reach Vala’rein’s workshop, he would have to pass by Meifen’s. He hated the very idea that she would come out to pester him. Thankfully, as he walked past, he could see very briefly that she was focused on her bike with two other technicians. Understandable because this racetrack would require careful tuning to how they would operate.

He finally reached the tent. As he looked inside, he could see that Vala’rein was busy working on her wheel bike. She was checking it out for anything that might be off. She barely noticed that Neo had entered to look upon her.

“You’ve checked your vehicle three times so far,” Neo said. “There is nothing wrong with it.”

“I have to...” Vala’rein said. “That ... bitch keeps winning the races, and she keeps rubbing it in our faces every time she wins.”

“Yeah, she won first place two times now. She’s making you Itreans look like fools ... although I would say ‘all of us.’ I’m surprised she hasn’t made an incident that the ambassadors would work overtime to fix.”

“I have so much riding on me,” Vala’rein said. “I would’ve expected Gip’grenda to win ... she always wins, but she can’t beat her either.”

“Well...,” he tried to look at the bright side of things. “This is the chance to win. This track is the most dangerous one, but it’s the one that you can win out in the end. You have a slow acceleration curve, but the engine you have can outdo all of ours. I have confidence that you’ll win this one.”

“Mmm...,” she seemed partially unconvinced. She instead stopped what she was doing and looked at the table near the entrance. On the makeshift furniture was a bottle of wine. She walked over to it and gave it a long look.

“Are you sure that drinking is a wise idea before a race?” he asked her.

“You know me too well now not to know that I wouldn’t ignore drinking some of the finest Cebravin vintage 2270.”

“Really ... you managed to get some of their older wine? That’s extremely rare stuff made when Cebravis was just being colonized.”

“Yes,” she remarked as she picked up the bottle and looked at it. She uncorked the bottle as she brought it towards her snout. She seemed to admire the scent that it brought to her. “Even the scent is not much different than Oetris Wine ... a moderately rare vintage. You humans certainly create some good alcohol.” She brought it to her lips as she began to drink it down a little bit and admire the taste it brought to her. She held it up in the form of a toast. “As you humans would say ‘to the victor.’” He nodded as he handed the bottle to him.

Neo almost turned down the offer as the idea of getting intoxicated before going into a race was a bad idea, but this was more ceremonial in Vala’rein’s point of view. She was not overindulging herself but trying to keep herself in good spirits. He took a quick swig of it. The taste had a certain nostalgia to it. He could imagine the days when Cebravis was founded, and some of the first vineyards had begun to spit out their finest wines that they could make.

“Ah...” Neo admired it. “Not bad,” he said as he handed it back to her.

“From the stories that I hear,” she explained. “It’s hard to find older wines on your former Earth that haven’t been pilfered by collectors.”

“I can imagine that there hasn’t been much of demand in making it with a wrecked ecosystem too. Priority goes to making foods to survive and not for recreational purposes.”

“I have always been so surprised that you did that to your own planet. Of course, I can imagine it isn’t really important. We didn’t grow up in that world anyway.”

“True. Maybe you guys will treat it better than we did,” Neo remarked as he watched her take another swig of the wine bottle before she placed the cork back in. She rested the bottle on the table.

“I’ll finish this up after the races,” she said as she went and saw a set of two chairs. She gestured for him to have a seat as she did the same. The fold-out chairs were designed to handle the higher mass of the Shal’rein. She rested upon it as her tail laid upon the dirt below. Neo followed the same as he felt comfortable.

“I wanted to check up on you to see that you were doing alright,” he told her.

“I’m fine.” There was a hint of displeasure in her voice.

“I hadn’t really had a chance to talk to you more in private since Cordeina joined up in the mateship. I guess it’s ... still odd for me when it comes to me having two women in bed together.”

“And a pregnant mother to add to that,” Vala’rein remarked. Her tone was still the same. “Congratulations on your success.”

“I really wanted you to be pregnant first.”

There was a hint of a smile on her face. “I know, my mate. We have a general rule in the rare instances of ... how you humans say... ‘polygamous’ relationships? The first mate should become pregnant over the others first ... it is a form of bad luck otherwise...” She made a click in her voice.

Neo cringed a little bit. “I’m truly sorry, Vala’rein. I love you ... I...”

She waved her hand but kept a hopeful smile to him. “It’s alright. I don’t believe in such stupid nonsense anyway. I know that you don’t have much control over it. I want my sister to be better. That’s what matters.”

He was close enough that he grabbed her hand and held it gently. Her shark-like eyes were attuned to him as he smiled at her.

“I still wish I knew what had happened to her,” he said.

“Mmph...,” she remarked as she shook her head. As she really thought about it, it caused her to shake her head as if the memories were painful to adhere to. “Neo, how much do you know about our past? Has Cordeina told you anything?”

“Not much, even she almost seems to keep her mouth shut about it ... almost as if she was sworn to secrecy.”

“It’s good that she listens to such demands. I can honor her for that, but ... there is something that I can tell you for now. You were not the first mate that I had. Both my sister and I shared a mateship with another long ago.

This surprised Neo as he thought about it. “I didn’t know that you had a previous relationship. Did you get a div ... no ... Zilik’s Disease...”

“Yes...” she said with some pain in her voice. She quickly pushed it away as she leaned back on her chair. “His name was Jintar’rein ... one that enjoyed the races more than me. If it weren’t for him, I wouldn’t have...”

“Don’t you fucking dare tell him about Jintar’rein!” another voice came roaring into the workshop’s entrance. Both turned to look at a scolding Serrein that had her hands balled into fists. Her shark-like serrated teeth could be clearly seen.

“I can at least tell him about him,” Vala’rein replied.

“You betray your past mate by doing this,” Serrein blasted her as she came walking into the tent.

“For what? Learning that you had a prior lover that you lost from a horrific disease?” Neo said as he got off his chair and confronted her. He was tired of seeing Serrein act like this. Vala’rein could almost see immediately that he was placing himself into a form of danger and quickly got out of her seat to stand against her own sister.

“That isn’t the point, human,” Serrein said as she towered over him. She began to lift her hand to flex it over his head and face. Vala’rein got right next to him just in case. Her sister was prepared to strike at him.

“Then what is? I sympathize with you. I really do. I’m sorry that you lost a person that you loved ... both of you. There is no shame in at least telling me about it.”

Serrein sneered a little bit. His words seemed to at least calm her down to a point, but it wasn’t completely satisfactory. Finally, her balled-up fists relaxed a little bit as she began to walk around him.

“I came to wish my sister luck in this race,” Serrein said. “Like anything, I come here and now have the Kerein’Shaltara sister and my brave sister banging the noble human.” She paused as she pointed her finger at him. Vala’rein swiped it away. Serrein only gave a look of disgust at him.

“Don’t you dare harm my mate,” Vala’rein warned her.

“You’re not Jintar’rein,” Serrein firmly told him.

“I know that, but maybe you should give your sister more credit. I want to help you ... at least be your friend or something. You don’t need to keep yourself isolated from your family.”

“No...,” Serrein said as she backed away from him. She looked at Vala’rein. “I can’t let it happen again ... don’t tell him. Don’t even...”

Serrein, for once, almost had a defeated look on her face as she backed away. The look of disgust was almost that of sadness. If anything, she seemingly tried to disguise it in the form of anguish and anger. Neo could see it as the mohawk Shal’rein woman looked away and left the tent. Vala’rein almost could feel a scent of her own anguish hit her as she sighed a little bit.

“Sorry...” Vala’rein told Neo.

“You don’t have to apologize when it comes to your sister. Whatever had happened to her ... god ... it must have been bad.”

“I can’t tell you,” she said as she went back to her seat. “Come ... let’s sit down and relax for a little longer ... I think that I want to concentrate on winning now more than ever.”

Neo nodded his head as he went and sat down on the chair. The troubling emotions were something he had grown accustomed to, but he decided to lay down business when it came to the races. It seemed that even she was ready to discuss other things.

“Well...,” he said to her. “I wanted to talk about the computer system for your bike.”

“What about it?” she asked.

“Are you sure that it can handle hitting the sound barrier?”

“The Likersha was designed to travel below the water or on land, but the Shal’rein never intended it to win against the Yutilian and Aksren hoverbikes in speed. I had to make continuous improvements to it to make it work.”

“I imagine that you always had your hands full when it came to the modifications.”

She shook her head. “Enough for me to pick up and toss the bike out of the entrance a couple of times. I lost more races for some time, but ... I do have the computer installed to make the calculations needed. I just hate the idea that I won’t have much control in that straightaway.”

“I hate the idea too, but that’s what makes this track so exhilarating. The danger is replaced by the sheer excitement everyone will get to see. Plus ... we get to leave those that can’t do it in the dust.”

She gave a faint smile as she tapped her webbed foot to the dirt. “I like that idea. Though, my sister doesn’t have the computer systems to handle it.”

Neo shrugged. “Not much can be done about it. Remember track 2 when we checked out her bike?”

“Yes. How could I forget? Cordeina was complaining about the chaffing from her new bikini.”

“She doesn’t have to wear them on Oshun. They have topless beaches there.”

“Mmm...” Vala’rein shook her head. “That isn’t the reason. I knew it immediately, the moment she told us that she was pregnant. I think you already know it too.”

Neo thought about it as it suddenly dawned on him. “Of course, she’s lactating ... wasn’t expecting it so soon.”

“Normally it doesn’t ... I imagine she had something to do about it. As soon as she leans down, some of it drips. I think she wants to avoid making a mess.”

“Fair enough...” Neo held out his hand to her again as she gripped his. “I know these last couple of races have been losses, but I think we will have a chance. Cordeina was talking about the idea of going to one of the lakes to go skinny dipping together. Not sure with the low oxygen content ... though.”

Vala’rein seemed pleased with such an offer. “I can always carry you if you’re having a hard time.”

“I ... don’t know about that. Seems to ... emasculate me if you understand what I’m saying.”

“I mean the trip coming back,” she implied. The slyness in her face was there for him to understand the meaning.

“Well ... I...,” he paused as Vala’rein leaned in his direction. She put his finger to his chin.

“You can still try your hardest to impregnate me even if it isn’t my cycle yet ... no sense trying...”

Neo nodded his head. “I think we can try...”

Each of the racers stood by their vehicles as they looked at the racetrack. Everyone had made up their own minds when it came to the dangers of this particular track. No one was going to back out, much to the enthusiasm of the spectators. Camera aerial drones and crews were placed appropriately to gather the event that was going to take place. Despite taking a deep breath to assure himself, Neo still felt that he was somewhat lightheaded but not incoherent.

This track was one that required the utmost attention. Neo looked at his bandigara. He knew with utmost confidence that it could do its job for this race. The military would never design such a defunct piece of equipment even if their administrative properties were always brought into question.

From here, there was less of the view of the edge of the great plateau. The natural location allowed the road to be straightforward before it would have a large turn. Then the great straightaway would occur. For those that were unprepared, it was a do-or-die moment. Some could consider this one of the most fun tracks or possibly the deadliest. Aphadus wasn’t going to pull its punches when it came to the UWALVR, and it certainly added to the ratings as a result. Even now, Neo knew that track 3 is the most viewed of many races, just because of what it was designed to do.

Neo was placed in the front portion of the other racers near the starting line. Vala’rein was placed beside to his left with Oluchi behind him, Serrein to his left, and the other two racers behind them. The time was up as the music began to pick up and then quiet down a little bit. The makeshift bleachers had the spectators present with the millions of others that were watching it throughout the UWA. The audience’s anticipation was growing.

“Ladies and gentlemen!” the announcer called out from his booth. “Welcome to the third annual race of the UWALVR. We resume the grand championships as we now stand on the planet of Aphadus. Here we get to watch the racers as they go through one of the most deft-defying tracks to exist in the history of the United Worlds’ Alliance Light Vehicle Racing records. Track 3!”

The audience stood up and applauded from their seats. Neo looked over at Vala’rein. For a brief moment, she showed a sense of gratification from her face. Her beleaguered confidence was being restored. As he turned to gaze upon the spectators, he could see some of the Yutilians that came to watch the races as well. The announcer continued.

“Located approximately two hundred kilometers from the City of Washington, track three, also known as the ‘Colossus Drop,’ features one of the longest straightaway roads downhill. Keep your ears tuned, folks, for what you’ll get to hear is that of the sound barrier being broken. Yes, the great speeds of these vehicles combined with their powerful engines will enable them to accomplish such a task, at least the ones that can or dare to try. This track is considered one of the most dangerous of all. Win or lose, we ask for the crowds that attend to honor all of our races that compete in such an event. We wish them a fun and safe race!”

“Yeah, Neo!” one of the audience members called out to him. “You show them!”

“Oluchi, you got this!” Somebody said.

“Meifen, my true waifu!” a male audience member yelled out.

“Seriously?” Neo quietly said to himself in disgust. He heard a cheering sound from Meifen from behind him in response.

A couple of Itrean audience members raised a flag. The T’rintar clan flag was nothing like the flags of the UWA colonies. The alien symbol was almost square-shaped and woven in some form of silk. It consisted of mostly green with three dots arranged in a drawn-out triangle. Each dot had the colors of dark green, red, and purple. In the center were three slash marks. Much like it was intended to suggest and what Neo was understanding, the symbol represented the failed but valiant try to unite the clans under one system. Even if the system had collapsed, it still survived in this former Yutilian clan. It was still hopeful that the Aksren clan and the Shal’rein clan would ultimately return to such a trinity. The flag actually shimmered from the light as it waved in the light wind.

“As we currently stand in the racing competition,” the announcer explained. “The contender Neo stands at 3 points. Vala’rein stands at 3 points. Oluchi has 8 points. Serrein has 12 points. Gip’grenda carries 16 points, and Meifen stands at 20 points. All racers, mount your vehicles!”

“You hear that!?” Meifen cried out. “That scoreboard is the sign that you’re all losers! You Itreans can’t catch me! Nobody can because I’m the fastest human alive! Now, if you excuse me, I’m about to set some new track records today.”

Some booing and hissing were coming from the audience. Most of this was coming from the Itreans, but a few of the other humans were naturally gawking at her. Some were giving her the thumbs down while her many supporters raved in cheer. Despite the arrogance, Meifen’s claim was something that was very real at this point. Even Neo knew that after two races, there was almost nothing that could stand against her. He wasn’t going to stand for it, however. He adjusted the canopy as he climbed into his motorcycle and got himself comfortable. The other racers began to do the same thing in turn.

The moment that the canopy door closed, Neo began to power up his bandigara. The enclosed pod’s life support system had recognized the type of environment immediately and began to filter in additional oxygen. Completely pressurized, there was a sense of relief in his lungs as he lay on his stomach.

“Thankful, the military knows how to design their equipment,” he said as he took a deep breath. “I feel like I can be in this all day.”

The displays all lit up as he looked around him. He could see all the racers as they powered up their own vehicles. His attention went back to Vala’rein’s vehicle. Indeed, the wheel bike design had to have been modified to be able the handle the stress of this track alone. She added additional windscreens for her front display system. A small bubble sheen was placed in the centerfold between the wheel well. He had no idea what the material was called, but it would open and flex upon her stepping in. Once she was comfortable, the clear material shimmered and held firm like a windbreaker shield. He was always surprised as to what these Itreans would always construct and create. All he knew was that the material was some sort of organic resin that was almost similar to the organic-like metal that they used for their frames.

The other racers also had similar gear to handle the high stresses of the track. Serrein and Gip’grenda’s hoverbikes had a thin organic resin material go over the top portion of their open canopy. They put on unique head masks that covered their eyes. Oluchi already had his oxygen mask, but his bike still had a windbreaker attachment to his front controls. Meifen’s high-performance motorcycle was the only other vehicle that really didn’t need to worry about any modifications.