SW: Ingo Racer [SJO Dominion of Ingo]

[Luna V]

Luna watched the race with interest, keeping tabs on the drivers via her own connection to the stadium's live feed. The Locke and Key driver was still in it, but outpaced by some of the other racers. It wasn't a question of their speeder's technology, Luna knew. It must be driver skill. And that thought process did not occur with any disappointment towards their driver. No, it was simply a matter of the others being better.

Next time, she nodded.

But, the droid's internal thoughts were interrupted by a flurry of alerts. A speeder went off track, dangerously so. The HRD's eyes opened wide as the craft careened into the stands – she herself was safe from harm, being in the private box. She registered the panic in the crowd, and one heroic figure – [member="Auteme Denko-Durren"].

Rising, she watched as the young woman used what could only be the force to lift the speeder and free a bystander. Moving towards the force weilder and another, she glanced in the direction of the blaster shots – the cliffs.

“Can I be of any assistance?” she asked, canting her head. “Luna V of Locke and Key Mechanics, at your service.” Her voice soft and bright.

[member="Argos Xalen"]

 

[Silver Starlight]

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FINAL LAP ​

​

The crowd — those that were not in immediate harm — roared as bystanders were saved from the speeder crash by [member="Auteme Denko-Durren"]. Medics were quick to arrive on the scene to help treat anyone that was injured. Meanwhile, the race continued — onto the final lap.

In an undisclosed location, a shadowed figure cursed.

"That driver from Star Tours," he said, eyes narrowed. It was too late to deal with her now, too late for his driver to pull ahead to win. He stood to lose quite a lot today, but his goons had failed. The shooters perched on the cliffs began to retreat, they couldn't risk another attack now. Their current location had already been revealed.

[member="Ura Iolar"], [member="Dunames Lopez"], [member="Kat Decoria"]

 

[Kat Decoria]

The second lap had gotten smoother, her engines were getting close to overheating though and she had to be more tactical with racing. Thinking of lasting the lap and not trying to push herself into first only to blow up when the engines overheated the fuel. However, her tactical racing had paid off in some regards, she was eating up the corners and taking over positions that meant she was at least in the top 3 now. Kat breathed out slowly as she looked forward at the person in first place, they were still a fair distance in front of Kat, she wasn't sure that her engines could survive a chase that intense but she was willing to give it her all when it came to the final straight.

Kat tapped rapidly at her controls, sorting things out before she gunned the controls down for the final part of the lap. It was a now or never mission for her chance at first place. She had put this bucket of bolts together, it had put her in last at the start of the race but with the Force she was now gunning down first place. It was a fairytale story but Kat had the oil and burn marks to prove that this had been solid hard work for weeks before she came to this event. This was going to be her win, it had to be.

[member="Dunames Lopez"] [member="Ura Iolar"] [member="Silver Starlight"]

 

[Dunames Lopez]

Objective 1
Allies: [member="Kat Decoria"] [member="Ura Iolar"]
Lap: 3

Fast-forward to the final lap, it was obvious that, while Dunames was still in the lead group, whittled down to two before the attackers could pull back, another newcomer now came from behind, started late and now was another racer that she needed to watch out for. And that meant, in the final lap, aggressively taking corners and accelerating (or braking) on the turn of a dime. Yet Dunames was not ready to give up on her spot in the lead group without a fight.

 

[Auteme]

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It was an odd feeling she had in her gut, that satisfaction of being able to help -- but as several strangers approached her she was quickly reminded that there was more work to be done. The Jedi and other security forces were too spread out to deal with it all effectively. The panic from the crash had spread quickly throughout the stands, and while many people still remained there was an amount of fear that lead to bustling bystanders and an inadequate response to the shooter.

She opened her mouth to respond, and all of a sudden it felt as if the exertion of the last few minutes came crashing down on her all at once. Her arms felt heavy, her legs weak. But she needed to push through. "Um, the... the shooter. Sniper." Auteme looked up, scanning the horizon just above the stands. A shadow passed into her vision for a moment, around where she remembered seeing the shot fired from. "Up there!" She exclaimed, pointing up. The teenager pushed through her exhaustion and ran up the stairs, hoping to catch the criminal who'd caused so much chaos.

[member="Luna V"] [member="Argos Xalen"]

 

[Argos Xalen]

Argos looked up at where [member="Auteme Denko-Durren"] pointed, and his right hand seemed fade into his arm, with a blaster barrel taking its place. He pointed it to the shooter, and fired a shot, then quickly ran behind the Padawan. "Help here you two!"

"But...." Before either twin could argue, the bounty hunter had run off. Yearda just groaned, and Ordos quickly walked them over to the wreck sight, trying to help anyone that was hurt. He then noticed [member="Luna V"] . "Ordos Xalen, and the one stuck with me is my twin, Yearda. We aren't sure. I guess just get people outta here."

 

[Silver Starlight]

​

Having started their retreat, the shooters thought they'd be able to escape without issue. But they ducked—barely—when shots came their way. "Chit," One of the two spat, diving for the nearest cover — a small outcropping of rocks. The cliffs above the stadium were high, but still accessible by anyone determined enough to try. However, that left the shooters with only one way to go: down the steep side of the cliff. It looked like there was no avoiding it, the two men nodded to eachother and returned fire.

Blaster bolts came in a flurry, aiming for [member="Argos Xalen"], but they rained down on the crowd as well.

Attention shifted from the race to the chaos now unfolding in the stands.

[member="Auteme Denko-Durren"], [member="Luna V"]

 

[Ura Iolar]

Objective 1
Lap 3
Ura didn't know how be she had somehow held out quite well as she turned into the final lap. The speeder was still damaged, but she was able to hold out for now. She followed close to the leaders, just happy to still be in the race as she gunned the speeder ahead. Maybe she could win this yet!

[member="Dunames Lopez"] [member="Kat Decoria"] [member="Silver Starlight"]

 

[Luna V]

Luna's optical sensors shifted towards the location pointed out by Auteme and Argos, but before she could act, there were shots fired. Argos had given her an instruction, get people out. The HRD generally deferred to organics, so she trusted this was the best course of action. And she lacked weaponry, not that she was fond or capable of using it to harm an organic being. A dilemma to ponder another time.

As more blaster bolts came from above, the shooters now realizing that they wouldn't get away so easily, Luna V stood in the section of stands that were under direct fire.

"Organics, please evacuate immediately!" she said, raising her voice. "Move to the exits if you please."

The urgency of the situation evaded the more dedicated fans, but Luna was quick to pull them from their seats — her strength was surprising to most, especially given her small frame. But soon there were empty seats and fans shuffling on towards the designated emergency exits. Luna was behind them, ushering them on. And it was most curious, she'd heard some mention that they wanted refunds for their ticket price. It was an odd time to worry about credits when one's life was at stake. As Luna V was learning, organics were peculiar indeed.

[member="Argos Xalen"], [member="Auteme Denko-Durren"]

 

[Auteme]

​

Blasters. So uncivilized...

Well, they were certainly effective. But they were being fired at innocent people, so Auteme needed to step up again. The first few rounds flew harmlessly overhead or hit the ground around the sandman who'd offered to help. With that bare moment of peace, Auteme was able to focus -- again she raised her arms and closed her eyes, projecting her will through the Force and making it manifest.

A blaster bolt flew towards her, but a sudden barrier of dull green caused the plasma to shatter and disperse. The teenager didn't move an inch, her focus unwavering as the barrier expanded to cover as many of the bystanders as possible while they fled. Hopefully the other two would be able to deal with the shooters up above... she didn't know why they hadn't fled yet, it seemed odd that they didn't have an escape route, but no matter.

[member="Luna V"] [member="Argos Xalen"]

 

[Kat Decoria]

Objective: 1 - Cross the finish line
Lap 3

Engines were holding strong as Kat moved towards the leader ready to over take at the last second and take victory. Kat could taste the glory, the victory was only mere seconds away! Flash of red blinked on her screen, the left engine was overheating and was ready to blow. She tapped on her screen quickly, directing some of the coolant of the right engine into the left engine. The engine seemed to chill and she pushed the speed full throttle with the finishing line in close proximity.

BOOM!

Right engine blew out and she was losing speed quickly, her position was slipping away as she couldn't maintain her speed. Kat could feel the frustration and bitter disappointment bubbling inside her, she was on the cusp of victory and now it was slipping away. Switching the burnt out off, Kat sighed and hit her head on the console in defeat. She was just crawling to the finish now, it was slow and she heard other racers screech pass her. How could she have lost at this point? Why did her engines fail now? Was it a lesson, that she had been too confident in her possible victory that the Force took it from her? These emotions, she needed to centre herself as she breathed deeply and looked forward. She could finish, that was a victory, an achievement that she could own. Her first podrace and she survived, that was massive. Breathing deeply, she wiped the tears of disappointment away and embraced this victory.

She completed her final lap.

[member="Dunames Lopez"] [member="Ura Iolar"]