The SS Obselete coughed, sputtering as it lurched out of hyperspace. "Another major racing challenge!" Blip shrieked, bouncing in his seat. Blop just nodded, eyes wide with excitement. They were above a planet that looked like a giant, bruised plum, its surface scarred with deep canyons and swirling purple storms.

  "Zeno, give us a heads-up," Zero said, gripping the controls. His piloting was still… enthusiastic, but less so than before. The near-death experiences were starting to have a slightly sobering effect.

  "Incoming transmission," Zeno-9000 announced, its monotone voice slicing through the pre-race jitters. "Visual confirmation of Draxar’s ship. He's positioned at the next checkpoint. Probability of hostile encounter: ninety-seven percent."

  Veeva, ever the pragmatist, adjusted her goggles. "Ninety-seven percent? That's practically a guarantee."

  Sparks, ever the optimist (or maybe just ever the reckless), grinned. "Well, that just means we have to be extra creative." He fiddled with a pile of salvaged tech, a chaotic array of wires and glowing components. "I've been working on a little something..." He held up a device that resembled a oversized metal potato with sparking electrodes.

  "What exactly is that thing?" Grizzle asked skeptically, eyeing the contraption.

  "A surprise!" Sparks winked. "Let's just say it involves concentrated plasma bursts and a whole lotta boom."

  Before anyone could question the wisdom of this plan, a ship screamed out of the purple clouds. It was sleek, black, and menacing, with weapons systems that looked like angry eyes. Draxar's ship. Draxar himself, a notorious racer known for his brutal tactics and even more brutal temper, was at the helm.

  "He's attacking!" Luna yelled, her fingers flying across her console. "He's using energy beams!"

  Draxar's attack was relentless. Energy beams slammed into the SS Obselete, shaking it violently. Zero fought to maintain control, weaving through the asteroid field surrounding the planet to avoid the worst of the attack.

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  "Sparks, now!" Zero roared over the chaos.

  Sparks, with a maniac grin, activated his "potato." The device hummed, then let loose a concentrated blast of plasma that impacted the main energy cannon on Draxar’s ship. A huge explosion rocked the ship causing a chain reaction of minor explosions in other areas of the ship.

  "Nice shot, Spark," Veeva yelled, her voice filled with awe. Even Grizzle cracked a small smile. It wasn’t just a good shot; it was a stroke of genius that saved their hide.

  But Draxar wasn't done yet. He swerved his damaged ship, trying to ram them, but Zero, spurred on by the adrenaline and Sparks’s success, showed a surprising level of skill, narrowly avoiding a head-on collision.

  "He's going to keep coming after us," Luna said, voice tense. "We need a plan, and we need it now."

  Zero looked at the holographic map Zeno had provided. The next checkpoint was on the other side of the planet, a perilous journey through the purple storms. Then it hit him. "Zeno," Zero said, "show me the atmospheric readings for the storm."

  The display showed a particularly turbulent section, almost impassable. "The storm's current," Zero exclaimed. "If we can ride that current, we might be able to lose him in the storm. It's risky, incredibly risky."

  "But it's our only shot, right?" Veeva responded, a mixture of hope and anxiety in her voice.

  "This is it," said Grizzle. "Let's show Draxar what the SS Obselete is made of.”

  Zero navigated the SS Obselete towards the storm, expertly using the turbulent air currents to evade Draxar. The storm was violent, throwing the ship this way and that, but Zero, using the chaotic wind currents to their advantage, deftly steered the ship around Draxar’s pursuit. It was a close call but they successfully escaped his clutches.

  They emerged from the storm bruised, battered, but alive, Draxar's ship nowhere in sight. "Impressive, Zero," Sparks admitted, genuinely impressed. "You actually made a pretty good strategic decision there."

  "Thanks," Zero mumbled, blushing slightly. The praise was unexpected but felt good.

  "Next checkpoint," Zeno announced calmly, its voice cutting through the silence, "predictions indicate a significantly increased level of Krixis's forces. A major event is anticipated. Probability of a catastrophic outcome: fifty-seven percent.”

  Veeva stared at the screen and let out a long breath. "Fifty-seven percent? That's…optimistic."

  Grizzle laughed darkly. "That's Zeno’s way of saying ‘get ready to run for your lives.’”

  Sparks, examining his slightly singed "potato," grinned. "Then let's get ready to make some more boom."

  The plum-coloured planet shrank beneath them. The next leg of the race, and the looming threat at the next checkpoint, sent a chill down their spines, but a strange mix of determination and excitement also filled their hearts. They’d faced Draxar and lived to tell the tale, and they were ready for whatever Krixis had in store for them. The finish line was closer, but it seemed the most dangerous part of their journey was still ahead.