Posted by Xebidos (Darqwan) on 11-29-2001 | ![]() |
![]() |
Like a hoard of tiny diamonds stashed by a pirate that had long forgotten them, the pink Pazurkan see shimmered and twinkled in the morning light. It was as if the starry sky of the night before had been captured upon the negative that was the sea, enshrining part of the galaxy within its gentle waves. Yet it was more than just a still image of silent, steady stars. Teeming with life, the glimmering surface only served to conceal the living denizens below. Schools of fish darted about, small rays glided passively over the coral rock, a wandering crustacean changed its shell. Then all hell broke loose. With only a strange contralto whine moments before, the perfect equilibrium was suddenly torn asunder. Literally, it seemed, as a massive rift was torn in the sparkling water, sending the entire world beneath tumbling in disarray, unknowing and never knowing of the terrible deity of destruction that had rained such terror upon them. Pulling up hard using his stabilisers, Xeb turned back to the see, admiring his handi-work. Carved into the sea by the fierce resistance his sky slicer made against the air, the Twi'lek found that the cuts he made lasted long enough for them to be visible from quite an altitude. And so there it was, a massive letter 'X', that seemed to last forever on the pinkish water, until suddenly, it sank back beneath the waves. Hehe, not bad... Kicking the slicer into a spin, Xeb dived into an almost suicidal dive, feeling the air rush past his ears in rythmic *thuds* he span, creating his own tornado with him at its centre. Having practiced the move extensively, he had oped this would give him the extra speed when, or if he needed it. But Xeb was more than just a one trick Twi'lek. With trepidation left behind on the ground and with confidence in the air, Xeb was soaking it all in, every forceful toss of dry Pazurkan air in his face adding to his determination and resolution. His chances weren't much better than before, but now he could confidently say they were better than zero. Grinning to himself, Xeb pounced just behind Getthel, feeling the muted heat of the Veknoid's ion engines singeing exhaust. But rather than pull away, Xeb revelled in it, the slipstream maneuver providing more benefits than its meager cost of a rather rapid tan. Yet like all good (and crazy) things, they had too end. Wobbling slightly as he got off the board, Xeb half staggered, half limped his way back to where Teri and Ahrkid were, as if he were using his legs for the first time. "This bruiser's clash with the Nagai Marow will be the slash-and-bash event of the race." What did bring Xeb back to ground, though, was the stark reminder that racing wasn't just going to be for fun. At least for some of us..., he thought, trying to reassure Teri with small grin. Never one to see anything in a shadow, however, Xeb instead saw the rivalry, the identification of favourites, as an opportunity rather than as intimidation. Like any good race, he reasoned, there was no such thing as a sure win. "I'll just be there for the sun and the surf", he shrugged. The rising grin on his face, however, betrayed more ambitious intentions. The 20,000 credits just settled the matter. Sitting back in the sand, Xeb looked towards the open sky, fanciful of what he might do with the money, however slim that chance was. With that much...I won't need anything else. "Got your work cut out for you, gunslinger" But right on cue, Teri reminded him of how wrong he was and how much more she was. "We better put these last few hours to good use." Feeling an exquisite joy that no amount of credits or sky slicer ride could match, Xeb pulled her closer. "Please Teri", he murmured softly. "Not in front of Getthel..." Beaming, he returned her favour, breaking his own ruling all the while...