She overtook the rear of the pack, bypassing them in a blink.
"Warning messages are starting to pop up," Odin said, sounding distracted.
"We knew that was likely to happen." Kira arrowed through the course, closing the distance between her and the leaders. She was too fast for the laser fire to present a challenge. By the time the drones registered her presence, she was already long gone.
"Which systems are we having problems with?" Kira asked as her board rotated in a smooth spiral.
"It'd be easier to tell you which systems didn't have error messages."
"You'd better make it worth it," Jin threatened.
"When have I ever let you down?"
"Do you want this week's list or the running tally?"
"Don't be ridiculous. The running tally would take much too long to relate. I'll be long done by the time you finish."
As if to demonstrate that fact, Kira flew past another clump of competitors.
Kira grinned. For all his sarcasm, she knew there was no one more worried about her current predicament than him. He was used to riding with her, ready to troubleshoot any issues she might have.
Unfortunately, the rules didn't allow for AI companions.
It left Jin with the new experience of being sidelined and forced to watch as someone else did all the work.
"How's my fuel looking?" Kira asked.
Jin grunted. "Not good. You're going to be close."
"Let's hope luck is in my favor today."
Kira pointed her board toward a series of obstacles nicknamed the gauntlet. A shorter version of the tunnel from before, this one was ten feet long and had fixed-point drone fire on each side.
Where the tower was an exercise in stamina and precision, the gauntlet was designed to test your maneuverability and luck. It was responsible for knocking out about a third of the riders who made it to this point.
Only four people stood between her and the finish line.
"Approaching the gauntlet now," Kira said.
"Operation Thread the Needle commences in three, two, one. Punch it."
Kira hit the boost on her board, her stance almost lazy as she approached the last stretch that stood between her and a win. Already, the lasers had started firing, creating an almost impossible to navigate screen.
There was really only one way to face the obstacle—to get through it as fast as possible and pray your luck held.
Kira's speed remained unchecked as she dove into the middle. The lasers were an overwhelming din all around her. Kira used the underside of the board to catch the stray lasers she couldn't quite shake.
She came out of the tunnel arrowing for the finish line.
"Yas! Nicely done, Nixxy," Jin crowed. "That's how we do it."
"Don't celebrate yet," Odin cautioned. "The energy drain from the laser fire is causing a chain reaction."
"How long do I have?"
"Three, maybe four minutes."
"Good enough."
