[Jedi Quest] - 03(38)

There was only one thing to do, and he knew it. He saw the steps ahead that he needed to take. He saw the difficulties and the odds. He even saw the possibility of his own death. It did not matter.

He made his move. He slammed himself against the side of the Podracer and pushed the engine so that he maneuvered close to the left side of the tunnel wall.

Then he accelerated and came up neck and neck with Hekula on his right. Engines screaming, he was less than a centimeter from being smashed against the cave wall.

Hekula shot him an incredulous glance. It was as though Anakin was inside his mind. Hekula could take the opportunity to make one quick swipe, forcing him against the cave wall, and Anakin would be a fireball in seconds. But if Hekula did that, Neluenf, who was close behind them, would swing out to the right and no doubt win the race.

Revenge or victory? Anakin had bet on the answer.

Hekula did not turn his Podracer to sideswipe Ana-kin. Instead, he began the turn. Victory was too close for him to take the chance. Anakin’s Podracer was so snug against Hekula’s that it was forced to turn left as well. Sparks flew as his Podracer scraped along the wall.

The shell of the Podracer began to smoke. Anakin tasted smoke and fire in his mouth. He did not let up on his speed. If he did, he would be dead.

The spectators gasped as the two Podracers rounded the left curve, seemingly one connected beast. The flat straightaway was ahead, the finish line crowded with the Podracer teams and spectators who had risked the anger of Podracer security and jumped out of the stands.

And there was his Master, looking straight at him. The Podracer was barreling toward him at 600 kilometers an hour. And he had no brakes.

Anakin pushed the speed, passing Hekula. Then he cut the power and slammed all his weight to one side.

His Podracer began to spin. He crossed the finish line, spinning so wildly that neither Hekula or Neluenf could pass him.

The Podracer came to a slow stop. At first Anakin could not hear the cheers over the ringing in his ears. He had won. And no one was dead.

Suddenly, he felt very tired. He saw the faces as a blur. Liviani Sarno, looking strangely pale. His Master, looking grave but relieved. And Sebulba, snarling at him, waving his arms and crying “Foul!”

Hot anger spilled through Anakin. He threw off his goggles and vaulted out of the Podracer.

“You!” he thundered at Hekula and Sebulba. “You’re the cheats!”

Because of them, countless innocent beings might have been killed. Anakin had no doubt that Sebulba had been the one behind the sabotage of Deland’s Podracer. They could not completely rely on getting the track information first. They had to destroy their closest rival. It was just like Sebulba to go that one, cruel step further.

The red mist he had come to recognize as rage filled his vision, driving out the memory of the clarity of the Force. He could see nothing but his rage against Sebulba, at anyone who would risk so many lives just to win.

“Slave boy! You have to cheat to win! There’s no mother watching this time to disapprove!”

The taunting words filled his head and the red mist grew dense and hot.

He reached down for his lightsaber, but a strong hand closed over his.

“No, Padawan.”

Obi-Wan’s voice reached him as if from a long distance.

“He did it.” Anakin struggled to keep the rage away. He pictured the red mist leaving him, floating over a distant hill. “He deserves to be punished.”

“No.” Obi-Wan’s voice was stronger still. He drew Anakin away. “Listen to me, Padawan. Sebulba did not cheat. It was Doby and Deland.”

Anakin blinked. He could not absorb the words. “It was…

“They made a deal with Maxo Vista. They would have advance knowledge of the Podrace track. What they didn’t know was that Vista was going to sabotage the Podracer. He wanted a fireball, a tremendous accident to occur.”

“That means that… 1 was getting advance track information, not Hekula,” Anakin said slowly. “It wasn’t just the Force.” That explained Hekula’s sometimes puzzling failure to get ahead. He looked around. “Where are they?”

“They’ve disappeared with Djulla,” Obi-Wan said. “I am sure they did it to save their sister. She has been freed, and they are gone. They most likely hid a transport nearby.”

Sebulba was still watching him. Hekula sat slumped in his Podracer, too stunned to emerge. “You’ll pay for this, slave boy!” Sebulba snarled.

Anakin took a step toward him but again his Master stopped him.

“He is my enemy,” Anakin said.

“You are a Jedi,” Obi-Wan told him. His voice was low and pitched only for Anakin. “You are a Jedi,” he repeated.