Unless Kira could create enough of a space around her during the ascent, she wouldn't be able to use the dead man’s plunge maneuver on her way down.
"We knew that was a risk." Kira leaned left, using the curve of the berm to pick up speed. The other two matched her, refusing to allow her to widen the distance.
“It’s strange. They make a surprisingly good team,” Kira observed as she shot over the rhythm section, trying to stay as close to the ground as possible.
Raider remained right on her tail, using her as a wind draft to conserve energy.
"Put space between you and them," Jin warned.
"Don't you think I'm trying?"
Raider wasn't like the other racers. He knew all her tricks—some he’d even taught her. This other racer was just as tenacious.
"I thought he forgave you last night," Jin grumbled.
"That doesn't mean he'll take it easy on me."
He wouldn't be Raider otherwise.
"Contact right. Break," Jin warned.
Kira flipped her board, shooting under the laser fire with barely any space to spare. The world spun, and Kira caught sight of Raider and Moonbeam doing the same.
Unfortunately, the racer behind them wasn’t as lucky and took a direct hit. His board flared, his altitude dropping.
Odin cackled. "Nicely done. Show them true terror."
"Yes, because that's our real purpose for being here," Jin said in a sarcastic voice.
"There's no reason we can't do two things at once," Odin pointed out.
Kira ignored them as she closed in on a piece of track that doubled in on itself, diving through a tunnel as the laser fire flashed almost in slow motion. She burst into the sunlight, heading immediately into the next section, the last one before the tower.
"Protect your rear flank. That Moonbeam looks like they’re about to dump you," Jin advised.
Kira reacted quickly, sliding out of the way, only for Raider to try to bump her board from the other side.
Kira shoved at his shoulder. He didn't go down, but then, she hadn't expected him to.
In retaliation, he grabbed her arm. Kira twisted it, slipping out of his grip.
The tower approached, along with the backs of the pack leaders. Skye and Devon jockeyed for first place, the young Haldeel muscling ahead of the Tuann for the first part of the ascent.
Kira hit her thrusters, shooting past Raider and the other racer. Wind whipped around her as she fixed her eyes on the beacon high above that marked the turnaround point.
By this time, the race had led them far outside the city, lakes and ponds spreading beneath as the course wound lazily between them.
Gravity pressed on Kira as she started her ascent, the board whining under the pressure.
A third of the way up, Odin’s voice came across the comms. "I'm picking up something strange. There are weird power fluctuations I can’t pinpoint."
"Alert Graydon and block all comms," Kira instructed.
She had no sooner said the words when a rocket launched from the city, screaming across the sky.
"Incoming," Jin shouted.
"Trajectory."
