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He parked the sleek craft and let her out. He took her hand and strolled towards the entrance of a long low building into a stunning, temperature-controlled reception area that opened up to an incredible view.
It was a race course - that stretched from the edge of Eden II and into the lunar deserts beyond. At one point, the raceway, designed in a classic ’figure eight’ layout, seemed to leap into the sky where its back straight hovered mid-air and crossed over the front section via an overpass. The sounds of racing cars in the distance filled the air, revving as they took to the crazy bends and corners of the speedway. The ground vibrated with adrenaline, and Harlow swore she could smell nitro scorching from header pipes and the smoke generated from hot, squealing tires.
‘Welcome to The Nirvana Ring.’
‘Is this for real?’ she breathed.
‘It’s Eden II’s full-scale ground car racing complex used for events like The Pegasi Grand Prix. It’s also the starting point for the Eden II Endurance Race, a sporting event like no other. Fifty-three miles, eight different configurations, the multi-apex Lunar Curve, the high-speed 450R corner, and 280 corners of every imaginable turn and bend.’
He took her hand and walked towards the smiling concierge, who beckoned them to the race track.
‘Mr Sable, you’re here for your experience session,’ the concierge stated.
‘We are indeed.’
‘Excellent, we’ve set aside the track for you.’
Harlow squeezed Kage’s hand in excitement. ‘You remembered that I love racing.’
‘I did,kara. But forget pinnace racing or space endurance competitions. This is the ultimate proving ground for any pilot or driver, a battle arena where drivers earn bragging rights by recording the best lap times. Where gear-heads regularly flock to get their adrenaline fix. And you, my love, will get to experience it exclusively.’
Just then, Harlow heard the sound of a purring, and a vehicle materialised on the track before them. A sleek, black and grey roadster with vented wheel arches and a low aerodynamic design around the cockpit and side pods. She clapped her hands together in joy.
‘Meet V.1D,’ Kage said. ‘A V12 engine, twin-seat hybrid race car that produces more than 2,000 horsepower, with four electric motors providing additional power. Self-healing polymers, shape-changing aerodynamics on command, memory alloys, light-emitting paints, and a meta skin for changing colours during a race.’
‘Your design?’
Kage shrugged with an enigmatic smile. ‘Want to take it for a spin?’
‘Can we?’ Harlow said wide-eyed.
He grinned at her excitement. ‘Suit up!’
Kage pulled open the small compartment on the racer’s side and pulled out two packs of racing gear, handing one to her.
The concierge led her to a small changing tent beside the track, where she shimmied out of her dress and into the pair of racing overalls.
Excited, she ran back to the track and entered the race car’s driving seat. Pulling on the clear plex smart helmet left on the chair, and turned to face Kage eagerly. ‘Ready.’
Similarly garbed, Kage swung into the seat beside her. ‘I’ve booked us in for ten laps. And if you don’t mind, I’ll sit beside you and guide you through the HUD in your helmet to keep the drive fast and safe.’
He gave her a pre-drive briefing covering apexes, braking points and overtaking procedures to help her master the track. Soon they were underway.
Harlow took her time on the first lap, feeling her way through the course whilst getting thrown by its stunning topography. ‘What a fascinating course. You’re drifting over regolith in one corner, and in the next, you’re looking up at the stars. It’s fantastic.’
‘’Tis,’ Kage agreed. ‘Now speed up a bit. The vehicle stabilises if you reduce the pressure on your brake a little at the apex. The end of the braking phase is also the turn-in point for the initial double right-hand bend. So turn into the left-hand bend early and calmly. Look inwards, and don’t let the car drift too far out to the right when you come out of the bend.’
Harlow reached the corner’s apex, perfectly hitting the bend’s entry. She whooped as she took the kerbs swiftly. But she was not driving at her utmost. Yet.
They came to a lengthy straight across a lunar flat, and Kage grinned.
‘Now gun it, baby,’ he murmured. ‘There’s no speed limit, and because you’re securely fastened in, don’t hold back on the pedal.’
Harlow pressed down, and the racer leapt forward as her heart hammered in her chest. She accelerated, keeping the steering wheel steady to balance the rear.
The car seemed to take off into the air, and she felt her spirit soar as high speeds elevated the racer slightly above the surface.
With that, she was hooked. With Kage’s steady guidance, she flew around the circuit, taking on the challenging mix of long straights, tight and tricky corners, rising curves, hills and flats, realising with each lap how easy it was to conquer them.
