"What's he doing?" asked Trixie.

"A hundred and ninety-two point two," said Pops Racer irritably as he looked at a stopwatch. "He can do better than that!"

"Go, Speedy!" yelled Speed's younger brother Spritle as the Mach Five blasted past the pits. Chim-Chim, his pet monkey, chattered and screamed beside him, turning a somersault in encouragement.

**I wish I could concentrate better*** thought Speed as his eyes followed the curve. He pressed harder on the accelerator, letting the Mach Five speed up as it screamed into the far straightway. ***C'mon, baby...GO!***

The sleek white car was doing a hundred and ninety-eight when it roared past the timer, and it registered second place in the time trials. Speed gave a thumbs-up, and he smiled as he slowed the Mach Five around the final curve, downshifting as he came into the near straight, and slowing and stopping as he maneuvered back into the pits.

"Not bad, Speed," said Sparky as he looked at the Mach Five's time on the tote board. "Now you're second from pole position. One more heat, and you'll take pole!"

"Great!" said Speed as he doffed his helmet and came out of the Mach Five. Trixie smiled and gave him a plastic bottle of water to sip on.

"But not good enough!" roared Pops. "Look at car Number Two! Zoomer Slick's ahead of you for pole position! I'm sure you don't want Alpha Team taking the pole, do you?"

"No, I don't."

"You could've beat him, Speed," said Pops. "What's eating you?"

"Nothing," said Speed, as he reached into his pocket to touch the sphere. **One...two...three...Ahhh...I feel better now** he thought. **It comforts me when I touch it, somehow. Weird, isn't it?**

"Who's doing trials now?" asked Sparky.

"Car number nine," said Trixie while she stared through a set of binoculars. "It's...oh, no, it's the Shooting Star! It's Racer X!"

"He'd better not be here to cause any more crashes," huffed Pops.

"Pops, you know that racer X has helped us before," said Speed.

"I think he has his own secret agenda. I don't trust him as far as I could throw him!"

"And how far is that?" teased Sparky.

"YOU BE QUIET!" roared Pops. "I'll have you know, that as an alumnus of the West Side Grunters and Groaners, I can probably fight better than you!"

"A hundred and ninety-five," said Speed. "Racer X has taken fourth place."

"Look, here he comes!" cried Trixie.

The Shooting Star slowed down before it reached the pit station assigned to his team. As soon as it stopped, the Masked Racer got out of his car and walked towards the Go Team pits.

"It looks like he wants to talk to you?" said Sparky.

"He'd better not be telling me to get out of this race," said Speed.

"On the contrary," said Racer X. "I **want** you to compete in this race, Speed. But I also want you're **up** against. As you know, the TransAmerica Race is an endurance rally, expected to last about eight days. In those eight days, you will be racing from here, in the far North of the United States, down through the country to the deserts of Mexico. Then, you will have to race through the jungles of Central America, and the treacherous parts of Colombia, Kapetepek, which has agreed to again open its borders to this race, and the geography and the hazards of the Amazon Basin. It is the sort of race you will have to place well in if you desire to hold your place as World Champion."

"I know," said Speed.

"There are very high stakes attached to this race, and there are evil men who don't want you to win. Men such as the Alpha Team, the Car Acrobatic Team..."

"**THOSE** snakes are in this race?"

Racer X nodded.

"I don't like this, Speed," said Pops. "Even though I am aware that Captain terror aided you in stopping that evil spy ring last year, he and Snake Oiler still have a grudge against you. Maybe you should pull out of this race."

"I know they have a grudge against me, but I won't let them beat me down!" said Speed in a combative fashion with his fists clenched.

"Plus, there's Team Rouge," said Racer X.

"I've never heard of them before...who are they?" said Speed.

"Team Rouge is a new team that have competed in a few smaller rallies worldwide," said Racer X. "I've studied them. They have a military discipline like the Car Acrobats, but no shred of honor whatsoever. They're under investigation by the International Racing Committee, suspected of having caused several crashes on purpose. You'd best stay away from that bunch."

At that, a dark red car blasted past them. It bore the number 66.

"Who's that?" said Sparky. "Whoever that is, he's driving like a maniac!"

"He's a member of Team Rouge," replied Racer X. "And...it looks like he's about to take pole position...look at him...he's doing just over two hundred."

"I can't let that record stand!" said Speed. He put on his helmet and racing gloves and bounded towards the Mach Five.

"Speed, what in blazes are you doing?" said Pops.

"Going out to beat his record!" said Speed. He shrugged off Trixie and jumped into the Mach Five, speeding off before anyone could restrain him.

"Well, looks like I have first position," said the Team Rouge racer to himself. "I, Karnaz, have taken pole position in the Terrans' stupid race! What? That white car's trying to beat me. Looks like I'd better steel myself to use my disciplines upon him and make him crash."

The R'Khell laughed to himself, breathing deeply as he refused to leave the track. He got on the radio to his pit crew. "Just another moment, and the damned Earther will be close enough for me to beat...yes...it will be a fine day for R'Khell...and, then, while I go to "help" him, I can take back what he has dared to take from us!"

Speed grew closer to the Team Rouge car by the second as his speed approached the two-hundred mile per-hour mark. But, he looked in his rear-view mirror and spied a black car with yellow markings gaining on him.

"Who's that?" said Speed. "It looks like he's bearing the colors of Omega Team, another bunch that Pops warned me about. I can't let him catch me!"

But, the driver of the third car, which bore the number "01", just smiled to himself as he drew closer to the Mach Five. ***Speed Racer, I don't like the idea of our first meeting being a fender-bender** thought Derek Wildstar as he navigated his race car around the first turn with his fighter pilots' reflexes, **but...I can't let that R'Khell get near you. Especially since I overheard his voice on and know who he is. Commander Karnaz fights very dirty. How do I know? I've fought him before...in another place...another time....***

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Flashback (or, Flash-Forward?)

March 12, 2204

Interstellar Space

The Alpha Centauri region

It had been a routine Fleet exercise for the Star Force. For Commodore Wildstar, it had been about eleven months ago. Earth was involved in a set of wargames with its former arch-enemy turned ally, the Gamilons. At the moment, the Argo had been expecting a mock attack from a small Gamilon fleet in order to test the crew's combat skills.

Commodore Wildstar himself had decided to go out on patrol with the Black Tigers, the Argo's fighter group. He had heard rumors that the Gamilons had a new type of fighter plane, and he was hoping to see what it could do. Since the alliance with Gamilon was still a little uneasy, Wildstar considered his mission a little bit of military intelligence. A little bit of spying...in case the enigmatic Leader Desslok of Gamilon ever decided to reverse the decision he had made three years ago that had stopped hostilities between Earth and what remained of Gamilon near the end of the invasion led by Prince Zordar of the Comet Empire. Even though the Gamilons had been fairly staunch allies ever since, Wildstar knew that Desslok had his own reasons for putting their enmity to an end...reasons that could change if his rebuilding Empire ever decided to expand again.

"So, what's on my six, Hardy?" asked Wildstar as he flew at the head of a formation of Tigers in his Super Starfighter, one of the last of the Type 52 "Cosmo-Zeroes" left in commission in the EDF.

"Nothing," said Jefferson Hardy, the long-haired pilot who had led the Black Tigers ever since his friend and former CO Pete Conroy had been killed in mid-2202 during the Rikasha Incident. "I'm gonna peel off and leave yuh alone for a bit, suh."

"Roger."

The Black Tigers peeled away, just as Wildstar spotted a blip on his radar.

"Hardy," he said. "Unidentified flying object at PX-225."

"Can't check it now," said Hardy. "We've got blips coming in all around us...see if you can't give us a hand."

"Probably just some Gamilon fighter-bombers...they must want to show off, those guys."

"Yeah...they've got a superiority complex from Hell," laughed Hardy. "You check out your bogie, I'll check out mine..."

"Got you."

Wildstar turned to investigate the plane.

A moment later, green laser bolts blasted towards his plane, scarring one of his wings.

"WHAT?" he yelled over an open mike to the Argo. "Homer, the Gamilons aren't supposed to be shooting at combat intensity! Ask General Fraken what the big idea is!"

"Got it," said Homer from the Argo.

"We've chased off Fraken already, and we've taken out his planes," said a cold voice as Wildstar noticed a red fighter plane approaching. "Next, we'll be taking care of you, Wildstar!"

"Who are **you**?"

"Commander Karnaz of the R'Khell Federation," said the sneering voice. "And this time, you won't get away!"

The enemy plane had quickly...too quickly...gotten on Wildstar's six. ***I can't shake this guy!*** he thought. ***He's as determined as the Devil himself!***

A moment later, enemy fire blasted into the rear of his Super Starfighter. "He got the engine!" said Wildstar out loud. "Two minutes until it overheats. Well..."

Derek gritted his teeth, ready to accept his own death. ***I've finally achieved flag rank and married Nova and I'm about to go up like a firecracker in a fighter** he thought. His frustration turned to indignation as he approached the Argo and saw the enemy pilot madly strafing the mighty grey-and-red space battleship amidships...right in the crew quarters.

Aboard Argo, fifty men and women met their fates in their crew cabins as they were about to change watches. Cursing a blue streak, Wildstar fired again at the enemy fighter, but it eluded him and flew away.

Nearing the ship, Derek sent his doomed plane into a dive, away from the burning ship, and he then did something he had never done before...he pulled the D-Ring behind his head and punched out of his plane. The ejector seat blasted him into space and away from the ship right before it exploded, and it had been one heck of a kick, too. Part of his canopy hit his helmeted head and knocked him silly in space. Luckily, his spacesuit seals held. He heard and saw no more until six hours later when he woke up in Sickbay aboard ship with a concussion and Nova, Doctor Sane, and IQ-9, the ship's robot, acting as if they were gathered around what would soon be his deathbed.

The deadly raid had cost them the fifty crewmembers they had lost, along with eight Black Tigers who had been great pilots. Later, Derek heard from Fraken that the Gamilons had taken a hundred casualties in the same raid, and were thus unable to participate in the wargames.

And...it was all Karnaz's fault....

End Flashback......

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A moment later, the black and yellow car dinged the side of the Mach Five. Speed was expecting to be forced into a spin, but, instead, he was forced against the wall...forced to a stop.

Needless to say, Speed Racer was livid with rage. He leaped out of the Mach Five just as Wildstar jumped out of his car and took off his helmet.

In the meantime, the confused R'Khell from Team Rouge roared past, his chance to take the artifact back from Speed Racer foiled...by Wildstar himself!

*** I should take care of both of them *** thought Karnaz as he whizzed past. But, he caught sight of crew members from the pits of Go Team and Team Omega running up to the crash and thought better of it. **Just wait until next time** he thought. ***Next time we meet, Racer, I will make sure that that accursed Wildstar isn't around to pull your stinking bacon out of the fire!***

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

In the meantime, Speed Racer didn't see this wild-haired racer as his savior...he saw him as an opponent who drove dirty.

"Listen!" he yelled. "What was the big idea, cutting me off and ramming me against the wall like that?"

"You may not see it that way," snapped Wildstar. "But, later on, you'll thank me. In the race, be sure that you stay away from..."

"Who? YOU?"

"Stay away from the racers of Team Rouge," snapped Derek. "It's very important that you do so?"

"Why?" asked Sparky. "Didn't you just hit him? Believe me, when we talk to the IRC about this..."

"I had knowledge that that other driver was about to do worse," said Wildstar.

"How and why?" yelled Speed. "I swear...I should punch you in the..."

"Easy," speed Sparky as he tried to hold back Speed. "This guy's got an explanation...even if I don't believe him..."

"It's important that you stay away from these Team Rouge drivers!" said Derek. "So important that, if you want a fight..."

"Derek, stop it!" said a woman in a yellow and black firesuit as she ran up.

Speed was aghast. ***She's the woman from the beach the other day!*** "What is going on?" he demanded.

"If we told you, you wouldn't believe us," said Nova Wildstar, "So...we won't try to explain it. But be sure you hold onto that globe," she said in a low voice.

"Why are you interested in it?" snapped Speed as he took it out of the Mach Five's glove compartment.

"I'm not about to tell you," said Derek. "Just be careful. And, even though you may not believe it...those are the words of a friend."

"Some friend you are...thanks for messing up my car!" said Speed as he looked at the Mach Five's crumpled fender.

"In time...you will thank me," said Derek.

"Yeah...when you're out of this race!"

"Speed...calm down," said an authoritative voice from behind him.

Speed turned. "Racer X? What do you have to do with this?"

"I TOLD you not to play around with Team Rouge! It's your own fault!" said Racer X in a stern voice.

"Oh? And what about this punk?" snapped Speed.

"PUNK?" spat Derek. "If you ever talk to me like that again, I'll make damn sure you pay for it!"

"Yeah?" said Speed.

"Listen, both of you!" said Nova. "You're both acting like children! Calm down!"

"She's right...let the judges handle this," said Racer X as some IRC judges came up to question Speed and Derek about the crash. "It'll do you no good getting into a fistfight with another driver and getting disqualified. Both of you...cool down and think about this."

"Racer X, I had my reasons," said Commodore Wildstar.

"I'll bet you did...but let the judges sort this out."

"Racer X is right, Speed," said another voice.

"Trixie?"

"Come back to the pits...the crew'll fix the Mach Five."

"Both of you...remain at the track after the trials are over," said an IRC official. "There is going to be an inquiry, and both of you are needed. Is that understood?"

Speed and Wildstar nodded, as both racers glared daggers at each other.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

What is going on?

Will Derek Wildstar continue to interfere with Speed Racer in the name of "protecting" him?

Will Speed try to get revenge?

What will the IRC judges decide?

And, will Karnaz try to kill Speed and Wildstar again?