Attack
and Counterattack
A Speed Racer Fanfic
by "Freddo"
Chapter Five:
"Race Day"
July 13, 1968
Inside the Master's
TARDIS
The
Master hummed to himself with a warped smile on his face while he worked the controls
in the black-walled control room of his TARDIS. "Chameleon Circuit is
working fine...I have taken two hundred thousand pounds from UNIT's cash
reserve so that Team Omega will be somewhat discomfited...and I have the Doctor
dealt with, as I feel I can use Captain Terror for my own ends. Terran fool. His petty ambitions blind him to the greater
picture..."
The
Master smiled as he looked at a computer screen. "Block
transfer equations. I need not sabotage Logopolis as I have planned for
years to control the block transfers that make up the framework of the
Universe. No...the crystal globe, the jewel that Speed
Racer carries, will enable me to do so. Not even the R'Khells know of its full power. Perhaps not even its maker knew what
use his "magic" artifact could be put to. But, I know. Only another
Time Lord could understand the advanced maths behind such a scheme. But, I need
time to concentrate, and I need the Doctor out of the way. So, perforce, I had
to leave his demise to others."
The
Master studied the Doctor's face on his viewscreen. "Unfortunate, really,
Doctor. It would have been ravishingly wonderful to break your neck myself.
Better yet, to cut out both of your hearts and watch them quivering in my
hands. No, I must give you an anonymous end, flying off a mountain somewhere as
you race your moronic Terran-style groundcar in this race. But, as the Terrans
say, I have greater fish to fry. I need time to concentrate, to begin
to...perform the needed calculations myself. That requires time...and patience.
Unfortunate that the Celestial Intelligence Agency on Gallifrey does not know
the trap they put themselves into when Cardinal Gerda and the Valeyard wanted
me to watch you and sent me to Earth to do it. They were afraid of your great
ambition, Doctor. They looked in the wrong place. It should have been me that
they should have been frightened of. Thank the Cosmos for the Valeyard and his
petty ambition to steal your regenerations, Doctor. You certainly have not
improved with age, my dear, dear Doctor."
The
Master flicked a switch on the console of his TARDIS. "The socket is
nearly complete. Now, as I take the crystal...it will go here, when I reach El
Tigre and set my TARDIS atop that pyramid. Luckily, I can disguise it as the
remains of the topmost course of the altar. Then, I can use the power of the
crystal to tear down the block transfer equations that formed the Universe,
and, protected in a time bubble...recreate another Universe in my image."
The
Master smiled at the Doctor's image. "Once, back on Gallifrey, you said my
ambition was to play God. I'm afraid you were close but to no avail. My
ambition, Doctor, is to BE God!"
At
that, the Master's cold laughter filled the control room of his TARDIS.
In
the meantime, at the raceway in
"Speed,
I don't like this last-minute change of yours. I want to be with you in the
Mach Five."
"Trixie,
I've decided that this race could well be very dangerous. I'd prefer that you
stick to spotting in your helicopter. Sparky can navigate with me."
"But
Speed, he hasn't studied the course like I have...like we have. You'd be
reducing your chances to win if you pushed me away now!"
"Trixie,
I've made up my mind. You're spotting for me, and that's it!" yelled
Speed. "Sparky?"
"I've
been studying the course," said Sparky Sabu.
"I'm ready."
"OK,
fine...I know when I'm not wanted," huffed
Trixie. "I'll be on my way to the airfield. You'd better not be looking at
anyone during the race, Speed."
"Like
whom would I look at?"
"That
pretty blonde we encountered the other day! If you look at her, I'll...I'll...I
don't know what I'll do!"
At
that, Trixie ran off towards her Mercedes convertible after taking a copy of
the map. She didn't look back at her boyfriend.
"Love
to know what's gotten into her," said Sparky.
"She's
just being a woman, that's all!" huffed Speed.
"But I want her kept safe."
A while later, Trixie arrived at the
airfield. She slammed the door of her
convertible with a huff and began to walk towards her blue and red helicopter.
A
moment later, she noticed a white Mustang pulling up beside her Mercedes. Then,
she noticed a familiar blond woman in a yellow and black firesuit
getting out in a huff with a small notebook in one hand and a flight helmet in
the other. The young woman muttered a few choice curses in Japanese and slammed
her car door shut. "Derek, you're acting like an idiot!" she muttered
under her breath.
That's
the woman I saw at the beach the other day thought Trixie. I wonder what she's
doing here?
The
woman noticed her and smiled slightly. "Oh! I'm sorry you had to hear me
cursing...my husband's..."
"Just
like my boyfriend?" asked Trixie.
Nova
Wildstar's eyes went wide at that. "Let me guess. Speed said that it would
be too dangerous for you to navigate with him in the race, so he's asked you to
fly spotter?"
Trixie
said, "Uh-huh."
"Guess
what; I'm in the same boat. Oh...since we didn't properly introduce ourselves
the other day at the beach...I'm Nova Wildstar; Derek's wife." Nova
extended a hand.
Trixie
shook hands with her. "Trixie Shimura; girlfriend of
Gregory "Speed" Racer."
"Pleased
to make your acquaintance," Nova said pleasantly. Then, she saw a hint of
suspicion in Trixie's dark green eyes. "Let me make an educated
guess...you're a bit jealous of your boyfriend right now?"
"I
thought he pushed me away as an excuse to leer at you throughout the race. He's
looked at you several times; you are very pretty,
and..."
"I
think of myself as a practical woman," said Nova. "You're prettier
than I am."
"Oh?"
said Trixie, who felt that Nova was just being modest. "Thank you."
"And
I'm devoted to my husband, Commo...uh...Mister
Wildstar. Anyone else who'd make a play for me would get slapped across the
face. I'm good at aikido."
"I
study karate," said Trixie as they walked towards her helicopter. Trixie
noticed a yellow and black helicopter sitting nearby.
"What
level are you?"
"Black
belt," said Trixie.
"That's
impressive," said Nova with a low whistle. "Don't think I'd want to
be fighting you."
Trixie
laughed to herself. She was beginning to like the woman she had thought of as
her rival...she seemed much like herself in some ways.
"Tell
you what," said Nova as she walked towards her helicopter. "I know
that we're competitors...but I'll do what I can to watch your back during the
race...Derek's told me there will be some weird characters out there."
"Thanks.
I'll be spotting for Speed, but I'll do what I can to keep an eye out for you,
too. I think you'll make an interesting opponent."
"Thanks,"
said Nova as she got into her 'copter. She began her pre-flight checks...not as
familiar with her
While
Trixie began her pre-flight checks, she thought Well,
with one threat out of the way...so to speak, all I have to worry about is
Speed and that stupid globe. I wish he would've trusted me enough to take that
thing. It's been making him act weird the past few days. I've never seen him as
possessive about anything in his life. I hope that concentrating on it won't
make him make some error in judgment during the race. Damnit...I'm so worried
about him! I hope he'll be all right...even though I'm still mad at him for
pushing me out!
Trixie
then popped a little salute as Nova flew off. I wonder what she has to do with
all of this? she thought. She
seemed awfully interested in that globe, too. And she said it has supernatural
powers? I think Speed should have given it to the police...but...he won't
listen to reason about things. Just like him that time with the GRX...he's
playing with fire...and there's not a thing I can do about it...except watch
over him. Speed, why the hell do you have to be so bull-headed about some
things?
It
was an hour to race time.
In
Team Omega's pits, Derek Wildstar was going over the course with Hiyoshi Bando from the Argo...he was a member of the
Mechanical Group who would serve as his navigator and mechanic,
much like Sparky was serving as Speed's navigator and mechanic.
He
looked at the Doctor's car...a black and yellow one like his that bore the
number 07. "You're having that girl come with you?"
The
Doctor zipped up his white firesuit. "Jo Grant
is more than a 'girl', Wildstar. She is a fully qualified UNIT agent, and, as
such I feel confident with her serving as my navigator." The Doctor looked
at his car and then looked towards the back portion of the pits. "I wonder
where the Master has gotten to? He just withdrew his
entry to race with us."
Then,
the Doctor spotted him. "Pardon me, Wildstar."
"Doctor,
be careful," said Jo.
The
white-haired Time Lord just walked off, oblivious to everyone else. He spotted
the Master near a large, tall crate. "So, you're not racing with us?"
"Why
should a rat remain on a sinking ship, Doctor?" smiled the Master.
"What
do you mean?"
"You're
going to lose; and the Time Lords have summoned me for important business. So,
to answer this urgent summons, I must leave you...and Earth...to your own
foolish devices, Doctor. For now, let this be my "fare thee well" to
you."
At
that, the Master smiled and stepped into the packing crate. "What do you think
you're doing?" demanded the Doctor.
"Leaving
on my summons," said the Master pleasantly. "I'll see you at El Tigre
in a few days...if it is your destiny to survive, that is."
The
Master shut the packing crate. A moment later, it faded away with a familiar
wheezing groan.
Jo
came up to the Doctor. "He's gotten away!"
"Damn
him," hissed the Doctor. "That crate was his TARDIS!"
"Are
you taking yours?"
"No,
I can't. We have a job; protect Speed Racer. We can't leave that job to one
man. Henceforth, I have to race as we planned. I just pray that the Master
doesn't have some little scheme of his own..."
"Do
you think he does?"
The
Doctor nodded. "Yes, Jo...I think he does. I wish I knew what he was up
to. He should never have been on our side in the first place. I should have
tried harder to convince Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart
that he could not be trusted!"
Starting time.
Speed Racer's heart sped up as he sat in pole position in the Mach Five with
Sparky.
"Trixie
said that the road is clear but there's some tricky
turns once we get off the course, Speed."
Speed
smiled. "I think we can handle a few turns, Sparky."
"Look
at those IRC people," said Sparky. "They're really going over those
Team Rouge cars...and the car Acrobatic Team's cars, too!"
"Maybe
they'll all get disqualified," said Speed with a smile.
A
judge looked under Captain Terror's car as Speed spoke. A moment later, he
emerged from under the car on a crawler as Captain Terror began to rev his
motor. "Okay, your car checks out."
"Good.
I thought that it would," said Terror with a grinning death-like rictus on his ugly face.
"Sir,
car Number 13 checks out, too," yelled another judge as he emerged from
under Snake Oiler's car.
"I
toldja it'd pass," sneered Oiler.
"See...nothing to worry about!"
"Viper, how goes your car?" asked Captain Terror as
judges emerged from under the hood of car number 17.
"Fine,
sir," said Viper, who was a new member of the evil Car Acrobatic Team.
"How
about you, Cyanide?" asked Captain Terror. Cyanide Murder was a veteran of
the team who hadn't been chosen for the Great Alpine race long ago; the race
that had claimed Poison, Ugly, Tiger, Ender and others...and the race which had
almost claimed the life of Snake Oiler himself. Snake had been badly burned and
had nearly died in the hospital after the race.
"My
car is fine, too, m'lord," said Cyanide.
"And,
you, Madman?"
"They
just passed me, sir," smiled Madman Cobra.
"Wonderful,"
said Captain Terror. "The tale of five is completed. The circle is now
complete. And, we shall humiliate Speed Racer and finally earn our just
vengeance with the help of the elements!"
The
Car Acrobatic Team stood and snapped fascistic straight-armed salutes at their
leader.
"Look
at those guys, Bando," muttered Derek Wildstar in his car.
"Yeah...don't
they remind you of the Gamilons heiling
Desslok?"
"Yeah...and
that Terror guy sounds like Leader Desslok, too," smiled Derek. "I
wonder if he and His Blueness are related?"
"Better
not ever let him hear you saying that, sir. He's got an itchy trigger finger,
His Blueness does."
"With
allies like him, we don't need enemies," snickered
Wildstar.
"Wonder
if they're gonna pass the R'Khells? They're looking
over their cars now."
"Let's
hope they're all disqualified," said Wildstar.
Some
time passed while Team Rouge's cars were inspected. Karnaz smiled as his car
was passed, followed by cars #67, 68, 69 and 70...which belonged to Ratzen,
Viggatz,
The
head inspector was going over the results with Judge Olde
Codger and shaking his head. "They did it, Judge. These cars are
clean."
"Okay,
they pass...unfortunately," said Codger.
"I
am glad to hear your opinion of my racers," said Karnaz. "We need not
resort to tricks to win, after all. Did you check the Car Acrobats? I'm sure
they were carrying something. I sense nothing but worms behind the smile of
Captain Terror."
"You,
Karnaz, have spiders in your smile," said Codger. "And, the three
words that best describe you are..."
"And
I quote," smiled Karnaz. "Stink, stank, stunk?
Am I correct?"
Codger
glared at Karnaz as he looked "innocent". Then, as Codger huffily
turned his back on him, the R'Khell warrior began to laugh insanely.
"You're
vile, sir," said Viggatz, complimenting his boss.
"You
make me ill," smiled
"Nausea
is our business," said Yagenz.
"Can
I find a fly and pull its wings off, sir? Our business is sadism," said
Ratzen.
"No,
our business is VICTORY, you fools!" roared Karnaz. "If you pumpkinheads don't show some discipline, I may throttle you
with my mind."
"Can't
I strange a bunny on the road?" asked Ratzen. "I want to kill a
little baby honey bunny."
"I
want to step on a kitten," said Yagenz as he picked his nose.
"I
want to poison schoolchildren with chlorine gas," laughed
"I'd
love to rape, kill, pillage and burn," whispered Viggatz while he
scratched his crotch.
"Quiet,
fools," said Karnaz. "People are looking at us."
"Don't
be uncivilized, sir," said Yagenz as he ran a hand over his five o'clock
shadow and then belched.
Karnaz
shrugged, thinking, I asked Mikma for our best warriors. He sent me idiots. I
will run him through with a sword after I conquer Earth
"Ooooooo oooo ooo
eee ooo aarrrghh uh uh uh uh
uh uhn..."
"Quiet,
Chim-Chim!" whispered Spritle Racer over the noise of the motors revving
up. He and his pet chimpanzee had just climbed into the Mach Five's trunk with
a picnic basket and bags of pilfered candy when no one was looking. "We
can't have anyone hearing us!"
"Arrrrghh ooo ooo
ooo ooo booo
uh uh uhu uh grunnnghhh"
"Excuse
me, Mister Racer," said a judge as he came up. "Is there something
wrong with the Mach Five's timing?"
"The
engine's purring away," said Sparky. "I didn't hear anything."
"Me
neither," said Speed as he dreamily ran a hand over a soothing globe of
crystal in his pocket.
"You'd
better check your rear suspension later on...or your exhaust system. I could've
sworn I heard a weird chattering noise."
"Nothing
wrong with the Mach Five," said Sparky. "I went over her with a
fine-tooth comb."
"Okay,
I'll take your word for it," said the judge. As he walked around the back
of the Mach Five, a banana peel flew out from under the barely-cracked trunk
lid. "Or else, I'll be a monkey's uncle!"
At
that, the judge slipped on the banana peel. "Arrgh!
Nononononononono!"
The
judge slipped and slid right into the side of the Shooting Star. "Racer X!
Is there a monkey around here?"
"Impossible.
You know that monkeys and racetracks don't mix," said Racer X in a deep,
confident voice.
"Okay...fine..."
Racer
X looked over at the revving Mach Five and noticed eyes glittering out from
under the trunk lid. He smiled slightly and put a finger up to his lips.
"Uh-oh,
I think Racer X saw us...think he'll tattle?" whispered Spritle.
No,
little brother, I won't tattle thought Rex. Speed's going to need all the help
he can get
Illuminated
numbers were going down the starting pole a minute later.
"5...4...3...2...1..."
The
race's pace car, a 1967 GTO, pulled out first, followed by the rest of the pack
as the light went green. The fifty-one cars went around the track once in a
ceremonial lap, and then the pace car pulled off as the green flag came out.
Immediately,
it was a free-for-all as the sleek race cars began to accelerate, jockeying for
position. The Mach Five took an early lead, followed closely by the Shooting
Star, with the Doctor in third place, Snake Oiler in fourth place, Captain
Terror just behind him in fifth, and Derek Wildstar taking sixth place.
Wildstar, Zoomer Slick, Janine Trotter, and Hap
Hazard, who had decided to re-enter racing after a term as an instructor, all
formed a close pack that kept Team Rouge from getting anywhere near the front
of the pack.
"Let's
do it," said Yagenz as he drove up beside Karnaz.
"Not
yet...we're still on the track, idiot! Wait until we get out into open country.
Then...we shall act."
The
cars went five laps, and then, the pace car went ahead, pacing the drivers out
onto the open road, where, with the assistance of the State Police of Maine,
the Trans-America Race would begin in earnest.
"You've
got a good spot, Speed," said Trixie from the air in her helicopter.
"Get into the left lane, and hug that road until we get onto the
interstate."
"I've
got you," said Speed with a smile as he thumbed the mike...the globe
forgotten for the moment as the trill of a new race pulsed through his veins.
"I'm going to take all of them!"
"That's
the spirit!" said Trixie with a smile as a tear ran down her cheek...a
tear of happiness. He finally sounds like his old self again...my Speedy...
Trixie thought. Hopefully, he'll stay like that throughout the race...and I
can't wait until we reach the finish line!
The Great
Trans-America race has begun.
When will Karnaz and
his men strike?
Will the Master's mad
plot to destroy the universe succeed?
Who will win the
race?
Will Speed survive?
Can Team Omega and Racer X keep him safe?
Stay tuned for
Chapter Six: "Trixie and the Air Pirates"
TO BE CONTINUED....
To Return to the Introduction for "Attack and Counterattack" click here