by Stormtalon » Tue Aug 01, 2023 8:19 pm
Stage 1 – Las Nexus Strip
Tracks: Its shaping up to be a scorcher.
Knock-Out: You expected otherwise in a desert biome. We might see triple digits.
Tracks: On in three… two… one. Hello, Race fans! Broadcasting live from the Autodrome, I am Tracks and with me in the booth is Knock-Out.
Knock-Out: Greetings fans of all things fast. Welcome to Speedfest! Our very own Velocitron Speedia 500 with a multiversal twist. It has been a week of racing, overtakes and photon finishes. But now it comes down to this, the main event: the Nexus Cup!
Tracks: At street level, we have the best field team in any continuity: Sparky and Cam-bot.
A bright feminine voice came over the wire.
<Sparky>: Hey guys. Are you ready for some pump pounding action?
Tracks: You better believe it. How are things looking in pit row?
<Sparky>: A word: excitement. Everyone can’t wait for the green flag to drop. Over at the… HEY!
The picture cut out. The main feed returned to the broadcast booth with Tracks and Knock-Out. Knock-Out didn’t miss a beat.
Knock-Out: Must be all that excitement. While we re-establish our link, let me go over today’s race course.
Today’s stage is a mix of track and street racing: 4 laps around the Autodrome, then a street race through our multiversal copy of Las Vegas: Las Nexus. They’ll pass such sights as the Fremont Experience, the Stratosphere and the glitzy Vegas Strip. Today’s finish line is the ‘Fabulous’ Las Vegas neon sign at the city limits. And it looks like Sparky is back. Sparky? You there?
<Sparky> Keep that ball of fur away! This is not a cat toy! Oh, yes! We are back. Sorry, SOMEONE on Team Catilla thought Cam was a plaything. As I was saying, excitement has been building and…
* * *
“Shadow…” Cheetor rebuked.
“Is this going to be a problem?” Rattrap asked.
“My instincts are under control,” growled out Shadow Panther.
“We’ll be getting a repair bill that says otherwise,” grumbled Rhinox.
“Bad enough, these wheeled snobs don’t think we belong on the track,” Rattrap groused, “We don’t need you proving them right.”
“Alright, Rattrap let it go,” Cheetor spoke.
A bugle fanfare blared across the track calling all the racers to the starting grid.
“Showtime!” Cheetor cheered. He transformed into his Transmetal 1 form.
“Just remember to keep those babies holstered,” Rattrap warned tapping Cheetor’s torso where his turbojets were tucked away.
“Same goes for you, Ravage,” Rhinox said with a mild rebuke.
Ravage said nothing. He yawned and stretched casually unsheathing his claws.
Rattrap nudged Rhinox. “Wonder what they were feeding this Ravage.”
“Something more substantial than you, rodent McNugget.” Ravage sneered back.
“Save it for the race,” Cheetor asserted.
Shadow Panther and Ravage padded off. Cheetor nodded to his Maximals and followed them.
* * *
<Sparky>: ...looks like things are getting started. The racers are filling up the starting grid.
Knock-Out: I see Velocitron’s very own ‘swift arm of the law’, Clampdown, taking his position as Pace car.
The black and white jogged out to the middle of the starting line. He faced the racers each standing in their outline. He punched his right fist high in the air. When he dropped it, the racers transformed. Once all were in alt-mode, Clampdown transformed himself. Engines roared and so did the crowd. Clampdown rolled out and the racers followed in rows of three. Some weaved back and forth. Others kept straight but none passed Clampdown.
Knock-Out: This lap is a warm up, a chance to heat those tires and get a good grip on the track.
Tracks: And its a great chance to introduce the racers.
The first row consisted of a familiar blue, black and white Porsche, a blue and white Formula racer and blue, red and white rally car.
Tracks: Up first is Team Ark with Jazz, Mirage, and Smokescreen. Right behind them: Dragstrip, Wildrider and Breakdown from the Stunticon team. Next is Team Xantium: Roadbuster, Leadfoot and Topspin.
Knock-Out: Good luck Breakdown 2: My Electric Boogaloo!
The others gave the three Wreckers some extra space. Green Roadbuster and red Leadfoot weaved around blue Topspin. But their tires hadn’t warmed up enough and Leadfoot slid into Topspin. Topspin shoved back clipping Roadbuster in the process. Before things escalated, a honk from Clampdown returned their attention to the race. They formed up and rolled along.
The next row had a car missing. A black street racer kept on the inside, while a near identical red racer stayed on the outside with a noticeable gap in the middle.
Knock-Out: Next is Team Lawbreaker: Runabout, Runaround and... I guess Runamuck is still on the DL list. Following them are the Spy-changers: Hot Shot, Daytonus and a last minute substitution, Sakura.
The black racer with scorching flames drew all the attention. An orange and black LeMans racer maintained a steady central position. On the outside, a silver-pink street racer with cherry blossom decals bobbed and weaved in a tight sine wave. Coming up close behind them were a trio of high speedsters. On the inside, a white and red racer was a study of control. In the middle, the sky blue zoomer hovered on a cushion of air and magnetic flux. On the outside, a white racer with a red trim and a number 5 on the hood wove back and forth.
Tracks: And here are the odds on favorite: Team Velocity. Override, Captain Blurr, and another fresh face: Fives. Blurr is heavily favored to win the checkered flag.
Knock-Out: Aah, but which Blurr? This is the Nexus: where dimensions collide. He isn’t the only Blurr in this race. Check out Team Shattered Glass with their own Blurr along with Slicer and Crimson Cog.
Shattered Glass put their fastest on the inside. Where Capt. Blurr was a shade of sky blue evoking a sunny day, SG Blurr looked stormy with his dark midnight blue. Slicer held the middle. His Lancia body could be mistaken for Wheeljack, but his blue and black color palette and red tinted windows could not. On the outside was Crimson Cog, a red version of the standard blue Cog. The bulky repair droid seemed out of place among the racers.
Knock-Out (sounding beyond bored): Next are the Spear-carriers: Thrust, Steve and Loud Pedal.
The lone burgundy cycle drone rode on the inside. The black and purple stock car rode in the middle and a matte black Corvette Stingray on the outside.
Tracks: Good luck to my dark doppelganger. Next is Sideswipe’s team calling themselves... (really?) the Lam-bros. Why am I not surprised? Sideswipe is on the inside. His teammates are Cordon, the white one, and Vert, the green one.
Knock-Out: They make a lovely tricolor honoring their alt-modes’ Italian heritage. Team Gobotron Racing is next: Turbo, Crasher and Slicks.
Turbo, a cherry red rally car, weaved back and forth staying in the inside lane. Crasher, the black and pink LeMans racer, rolled along silently in the middle. Slicks, a yellow Formula racer, continued to rev up and down as they passed hoping to get some attention.
Knock-Out muttered under his breath, but right into the mic. “You’re not impressing anyone, Slicks.”
Tracks: Uh, nearing the end, we have Team Diaclone: Ligier, Spin-Out and Exhaust.
Ligier looked like Mirage only red. Spin-Out looked like Sunstreaker only red and Exhaust was like Wheeljack only in red and white.
Tracks: Here comes Team Prime: Smokescreen, Wheeljack and substituting for Bee is Dee. Team Micron follows with Windcharger, Beachcomber and Fastlane and finally…
Smokescreen was a vibrant blue/red and white. Wheeljack carried the same green, white and red as most of his variants, but the Urbana Strider mold cut a sleeker profile than the Lancia Stratos. The white car on the outside was a bit of an oddball. A dumpy little hatchback with black lettering on the doors. The mic caught Knock-Out whispering “Who let that delivery car on the field?”
Team Micron also looked out of place. Transformers come in all shapes and sizes, but the Micron team looked more like karts racing full-sized vehicles.
Knock-Out: And finally, Cam-bot's new favorite...
Tracks: Team Catilla. This team of beasties includes Ravage, Cheetor and Shadow Panther.
The three cats ambled behind the rest. Shadow Panther, in the base feline configuration, was already at a steady run. Cheetor, in his Transmetal 1 phase, loped but at a slower pace. Ravage, in a Transmetal 2 body, kept pace with a leisurely gait.
Knock-Out: The racers are taking the final turn… Clampdown returns to Pit Row... There’s the green flag!… and the Nexus Cup has begun!
Racers sprinted.
Knock-Out: Mirage and Dragstrip shoot to an early lead! Crasher, Ligier, Daytonus and Slicks have pulled away with Jazz, Roadbuster, and Runaround forming a smaller knot behind them!
Tracks: Heading into the first turn... the crowds are thinning out to a single file!
Knock-Out: The Formula 1s dominate the front. Stock cars and street racers are close behind. Non-conventionals like the beasts and the Microns are bringing up the rear.
Tracks: The leaders are nose to tail with barely an inch between them. Further back, Leadfoot and Topspin are pushing the less wary to the outside.
Knock-Out: The F1s are putting as much distance as they can before hitting the streets. The others are jockeying for positions planning to make their move later. And the Wreckers are making the skittish think twice.
Tracks: As we begin Lap 3, Dragstrip and Mirage are still at the top. Crasher, Slicks, Ligier and Daytonus are half a beat behind. Leadfoot, Roadbuster and Fives are chasing that lot.
Knock-Out: The pack has broken in two: the leaders and the rest. It is a shoving match between Mirage and Dragstrip, with neither giving an inch. Ligier slipped past Crasher and Slicks. He is right behind the leads knocking at the door.
Tracks: Into Lap 4 and… whoa did you see that!?!
Knock-Out: I did! But lets see how it was done.
Tracks: OK, we have the two leaders: Mirage and Dragstrip coming out of the final turn for Lap 3. Dragstrip, on the inside, swings wide looking to clip Mirage. Mirage moves like a pro and avoids that attack. Dragstrip misses and fishtails. And coming in high its... Ligier! Dragstrip looses ground and Ligier takes the #2 spot. Red vs Blue followed by Yellow as they enter Lap 4.
Tracks: And… there goes the white flag!
Knock-Out: Not a moment too soon. You Autobots are too mild mannered. We need to liven up this race.
Tracks: Really?
Knock-Out: It’s not a put down, but where are the sharp elbows? The pushing and shoving? Its race time now.
<Screeching and clouds of smoke>
Tracks: You were saying?
Down on the track, a pile-up forced a slow down.
Tracks: Looks like we had a spin out on Turn 2.
Knock-Out: Was it Spin-Out?
Tracks: No? Looks like its Daytonus from the Spy-changers team. Something blew… a tire? Roadhauler and his team are already sorting this out.
Knock-Out: Luckily, this is the last lap so no pace car is needed. The leaders are already leaving the Autodrome and hitting the streets. And...whoa! Slicks from the Go-bot team slammed into the barrier just outside the raceway. He’s OK, but he’s out of the race.
Tracks: Mirage, Ligier and Dragstrip, one, two, three, down N. Las Vegas Blvd.
Knock-Out: This straight section should see a lot back and… Oh ho, that was a cheeky move! The green Lambo, Vert, sped up to challenge the big boys. But Dragstrip was having none of it. He blocked to the left, then to right. Vert lost his moment and dropped back to the second pack.
Tracks: Dragstrip lost some speed in the process, falling even farther from the top two! Its a two-bot race between Mirage and Ligier!
Knock-Out: They are fast approaching our street team. What do you see Sparky?
Sparky: The F1s are in the lead but losing ground. The street racers are about to mount a second assault.
Tracks: Of course, there’s a small roundabout up ahead and then the eastward turn after that.”
Sparky: We’ll see in a few moments. Ligier and Mirage are still #1 and #2. Dragstrip is a distant #3 with SG Blurr and Crasher making four and five. There is a lot of road before #6 Wildrider, Hot Shot and Fives. Sideswipe keeps his team’s hopes alive from 9th place. 10th is consumed by the pack.
Sparky: At the Turn 15, Mirage approaches the roundabout first. And uh-oh! Dragstrip is sneaking up and… whoa! There he goes trying to slam Ligier into the barriers.”
Knock-Out: At last! Sharp elbows!
Tracks: Ligier is recovering but Dragstrip is in second eyeing first. What happened?
Sparky: That hunk of scrap took another swing at Mirage. Mirage went inside on the roundabout. Ligier took outside. Dragstrip tried bump Ligier and have him spin into Mirage. Mirage came out of the turn fine, but Ligier lost control and spun wide to avoid a collision. That’s when Dragstrip slipped in to second place. And...
The rest got drowned out as the other racers roared on by.
Knock-Out: That encounter dropped Mirage a peg too. And after doing so well...
Tracks: You sound *real* broken up about it.
Knock-Out: It is a race. If you want to win you got to seize every opportunity. This isn’t ‘Mother, may I...”.
Tracks: We’ll see if it pays off. The leaders are turning down Fremont St.
Dragstrip, Mirage and Ligier made the tight corner. Tire squeals and engine roars echoed in the vaulted canopy of the Fremont St. Experience. Famous for its spectacular light shows and booming music performances, the Experience is now a wind tunnel for the racers. The leaders charged down the center avoiding stores and kiosks. Above, the lighted canopy displayed the racers as three colored lines: Ligier = red, Dragstrip = yellow, and Mirage = blue. The lines kept pace weaving back and forth across the open-air mall. At their speed, they reached the end of the Experience in seconds. The canopy exploded in red fireworks declaring “1st Place: Ligier”. The three racers barreled out of the Experience never looking back.
Just as the leaders exited the Experience, the second group of racers entered: Velocitron’s Captain Blurr, Crasher, Wildrider, Fives, SG’s Blurr and Hot Shot. Six colored lines darted along the ceiling mirroring the dogfight going on at ground level. The Go-bot gave it her all to catch and surpass Blurr. But he was just putting more road between them. Wildrider over steered hoping to knock Five into a ticket booth. But Fives activated his spring jacks and flipped up and over the sports car. Wildrider slammed into the darker Blurr. The racer didn’t find it funny and slammed back into Wildrider.
Wildrider shoved back with smoke and sparks flying. Fives turbo boosted his way clear of the melee. On the ceiling, Blurr’s dark blue slammed into Wildrider’s black line. Each contact punctuated with simulated cracked glass. Blurr dropped behind then accelerated. His sloped front end lifted up Wildrider by the undercarriage. Wildrider swerved trying to keep his tires under him, but his front wheels locked up and he veered to the right. SG Blurr let him crash into a pharmacy. Wildrider’s line on the ceiling veered to the right ending in an explosion effect. The order leaving Fremont went Capt. Blurr, Crasher, Fives, SG Blurr and Hot Shot.
Knock-Out: Woof! That was almost too painful to watch. *chuckle* I love it.
Tracks: I bet a demolition derby is your ideal date.
Knock-Out: You’ll have to ask me out to find out.
Tracks: How does it look down there, Sparky?
<Sparky>: Clean up on Aisle 7! That’s quite a mess. Most racers are getting over to the left but its creating a bottleneck. Xantium, Alignment, and the Lam-bros made it through before the slow down. And… Team Catilla just leapt over the mess. Four paws can be useful. Who knew? But everyone else might as well watch the race finish from the Sports Book.
Knock-Out: Let’s return to the leaders. The F1’s are still duking it out, but things will get sticky as they approach the Stratosphere.
The Stratosphere, a gleaming spire crowned with a holographic roulette wheel, stands at the north end of the Strip. Its base creates the largest roundabout in Las Nexus. Worse still, instead of taking the shorter quarter turn going from eastbound to south, the course takes the longer three quarters to head southbound. As the leaders approached, their positions changed. Mirage took an inside line right of Ligier and Dragstrip took the lane to Ligier left forming a three lane roadblock. The Blurrs caught up with them. SG Blurr bobbed and weaved looking for an opening. Captain Blurr hung back. It was clear, they meant to box them out. The Strip was coming into view. Capt. Blurr gunned it aiming for the corner. The leaders were only starting to accelerate as Blurr whizzed by clipping the corner and tearing down the Strip. The mobile roadblock collapsed as each scrambled to catch the new leader. That’s when SG Blurr shot up right through the middle. He pushed past Mirage and Dragstrip and forced Ligier to the right. Mirage had to slow down. Coming out of the roundabout Capt. Blurr was in the lead with SG Blurr on his tailpipe. Dragstrip, Ligier and Mirage knocked down to 3rd, 4th and 5th respectively.
Tracks: Now that is what I’ve been waiting for.
Knock-Out: Even with a triple block, the racers from Velocitron know how to win!
The Blurrs screamed down the Strip! SG Blurr wanted that lead but Capt. Blurr was not giving it up without a fight. All this as they entered the mega resorts of the Strip. Each resort sat away from the Strip with plenty of ‘front lawn’ to showcase their themes. In Las Nexus, the decorations included holograms, hard light projections and robotic decorations along with the neon lights.
The Sahara was flanked by towering holographic sand dunes leading to a Moroccan fort simulation of the main gate. Both leaders bolted past the Adventuredrome: a deep, winding canyon crisscrossed with a web of roller coasters. This was next to the big tops and calliope music coming from Circus Circus.
As the two Blurrs fought for first, neither noticed a racer gaining on them. The darker of the two Blurrs sensed something dropped back. To Dragstrip, it looked like SG Blurr was falling backwards. Dragstrip kept on course. SG-Blurr added a little spin as he closed in. Dragstrip didn’t blink. Only a split-second before collision did SG Blurr and Dragstrip blink. Both veered and lost speed. Ligier, Mirage, Crasher, Fives and Cheetor charged right past them pursuing Cpt. Blurr now the undisputed leader.
Knock-Out: Stop the presses! When did the cat bot get here.
Tracks: I’m as surprised as you. Sparky?
Sparky: One second guys, I’ll find out.
The screen switched to the exit of the Fremont Experience.
Sparky: Yeah, here is where their fortunes changed. Catilla jumped over the crash not losing any momentum. With fewer cars on the road, they steadily gained ground.
The image switched to an overhead view of the street leading to the Stratosphere.
Sparky: They all maxed out. Shadow Panther fell behind the slowest. Ravage, being fully mechanical, slowly gained speed, but Cheetor, perhaps because he’s transmetal, pulled ahead.
The image switched to the roundabout where Cheetor flew around the long curve. Silver and gold streaking down the Strip.
Sparky: If he can keep up this speed he just might match the Blurrs.
Tracks: They are approaching the City Center.
Knock-Out: Things should get interesting here.
The City Center is a sprawling multilevel shopping mall. Storefronts shared a classical motif: stately white marble columns inlaid with glittering gold and sterling silver. Displays of expensive timepieces and leather goods were wasted on the robotic racers. Captain Blurr slid out a little on a left turn down the main concourse, but maintained his lead. The central court was up ahead: a series of ramps and elevators to other levels. Without hesitation, Blurr shot straight through coming out on the other side. Ligier and Mirage followed after Blurr. Fives and SG Blurr hung a left disappearing down a branching concourse decorated with sports equipment. Crasher and Dragstrip took a down ramp vanishing into the lower level. Cheetor took a set of stairs to the upper level.
Captain Blurr charged through the exit onto a narrow thoroughfare leading down to a lagoon. This was the shared ‘front lawn’ of Treasure Island and the Mirage. The tiny street ended at a shallow beach looking across the water to a pirate cove set into a volcano. Ligier and Mirage came out a beat later and followed the trail down the beach. The sand did nothing to slow Blurr as a hover car, but it really slowed down the two F1s. They kicked up a flurry of sand.
The exit to the Strip was in sight. Blurr took a narrow paved road off the beach and to the street. Racing along some pillars, he looked up. Those pillars supported a monorail used by the guests. But today they also served as a cat lane for Cheetor. He sprinted along the rail keeping pace with Blurr. From his height, he could see the Venetian across the Strip. One of the canal tunnels exploded with water and smoke. SG Blurr and Fives catapulted out of the canals and tore across St. Mark’s Square.
Knock-Out: I’ve got visuals on all but two. Any sign of Crash and Dragstrip?
Tracks: Let me check.
Tracks cycled through a number of cameras. He stopped at a blur disappearing down a tunnel.
Tracks: Looks like they slipped into the service tunnels. Good luck, if they ever see daylight.
Knock-Out: Well color me impressed! The overgrown tabby is making a play for first. That is one feisty feline.
Cheetor leapt off the monorail track landed on Blurr’s trunk then sprang forward to take the lead. Across the street, SG Blurr and Fives reached the Strip and continued on the other side of a divided boulevard.
Knock-Out: With only a mile left, it is ‘do or die’ time.
They passed Caesar’s Palace where the road turned into the cobblestones of the Appian Way lined with pines. Blurr edged forward slowly gaining on Cheetor. Past another intersection and now they were driving along the shore of Lake Como with the Bellagio glittering against a holographic mountainside. On the other side, SG Blurr and Fives zipped under the Eiffel Tower and streaking through the Arc de Triomphe of the Paris resort.
Tracks: Its anyone’s race as we come down to the wire.
Knock-Out: Cheetor and Blurr are neck and neck on the southbound side of the Strip. While SG Blurr is keeping Fives at bay on the northbound side.
Tracks: And the southbound crowd has crossed the Manhattan Bridge at New York, New York!
Knock-Out: I don’t believe it. Check out the other side!
On the northbound side, as they reached the entrance of the MGM Grand, two figures darted out of the entrance. It was Crasher and Dragstrip!
Knock-Out: Never see the light of day?
Tracks: Color me wrong. It clearly caught SG Blurr off guard too.
SG Blurr forgot about Fives focusing his attention on the newcomers. This close to the finish line subtlety went out the window. Crasher was nearest. He aimed for her, but she veered to the side making an opening. This Blurr didn’t question or care. It was one more in his way to victory. He inched forward as they passed the Excalibur and entered the Egyptian theme of the Luxor. SG Blurr made his move, but Dragstrip veered. Too late, he realized he strolled in their trap. Both Crasher and Dragstrip steered in and clapped SG Blurr from both sides. A hover car doesn’t have wheels to lock up, but the hover jets can be disabled with sufficient force. The Stunticon and the Renegade slammed his nose. The frontal hover jets cut out. He nose-planted into the street and flipped over end over end. SG Blurr stabbed Crasher on his second flip. She skidded and sideswiped Dragstrip. All three wiped out yards from the finish line. Fives activated his spring jacks and leapt over the collision crossing the finish line in fourth.
Tracks: Whoa! That was some finish!
Knock-Out: Hell, yeah! But I missed it watching the crash.
Tracks: That’s why Primus invented instant replay.
The screen rewound the playback, shifting the southbound side of the Strip where Cheetor, Blurr and Mirage came barreling toward the finish line. Capt. Blurr zipped along the inside. Cheetor sprinted on the outside. Mirage was half a length behind trying to come up the middle. Suddenly, SG Blurr begins flipping. Mirage swerved. That gave Blurr the opening to squeeze into first place. Cheetor evaded Mirage by hopping on the blue formula one and leaping from there across the finish line. Mirage skidded in third place just as the others came crashing in. Ligier crossed in fifth a beat behind Fives.
Tracks: Well, that is one for the record books.
Knock-Out: If any of us every escape the Nexus to record it.
Tracks: Blurr’s win seemed obvious, but he had to work hard for it.
Knock-Out: The top ten are Captain Blurr from Velocity, Cheetor from Catilla, Mirage from Ark…
Tracks: Fives came in fourth followed by Ligier, Shattered Glass Blurr, Dragstrip, Crasher, Hot Spot and Vert.
Knock-Out: Of course, it isn’t just individual performance. Once the rest of the racers check in the team’s average score will determine their start positions tomorrow.
Tracks: No matter how you slice it, this was an exciting way to start off the Nexus Cup. I hope all of you will join us for the start of the next leg. From Las Nexus, I’m Tracks…
Knock-Out: I’m Knock-Out…
Tracks: And for Sparky, Cambot and everyone on the Nexus Cup team, we’ll see you next time the green flag drops.
To be Continued in Stage 2...
To be Continued in Stage 2...
