#36 Feat. Hype in Overall

Captain Ester Vance sat in the cockpit of her old cruiser, the Starweaver, feeling the steady hum of its aging engines beneath her fingertips. The race was about to begin, a gruelling three-day gauntlet that pushed both machine and pilot to the edge. Five checkpoints lay ahead: two moons, a space station, and a treacherous asteroid belt orbiting a dead planet. The reward? Glory, riches, and maybe a new ship. Shed dreamed of this moment for years, training in simulations and real-world runs. But now, as the countdown ticked away, her mind buzzed with doubt. What if her ship didnt hold up? What if her instincts failed her in the asteroid belt? She shook her head, clearing the fog of fear. She wasnt here to lose. Shed been flying since she could walk. There wasnt a racer out there with half her skill. Stay sharp, Ester, she muttered to herself, gripping the controls tighter. Her pulse quickened as the signal for launch approached. She could almost feel the G-forces pulling her forward already. The moons were her strength—she knew their gravity wells like the back of her hand. The asteroid belt, though… thats where most racers met their doom. No computer could help her there - just her instincts and sheer nerve. She leaned back in her seat, eyes narrowing on the stars ahead. Three days. Five checkpoints. No second chances.

Dmitry Molosh