Edward was looking through his vault for scattered weapon parts when Haxx walked up. "Edward, I want to talk to you about something..." "Sure. What's up?" Edward straightened his back and looked to the exo. "C.P. and have been thinking... We want to participate in the Sparrow Races." Haxx cracked a small grin. "The Sparrow Races? Now that sounds fun." Edward pointed to Haxx and smiled. "What about Gale? She might not agree..." Haxx was disappointed at the mere thought. Edward looked around. "Have Amanda prep our ships. We will have to leave immediately!" "Okay.?." Haxx walked back to the hanger, slowly looking back at the Hunter. Haxx stood beside Amanda, the three ships waiting behind them. C.P. floated over Haxx's shoulder. He stared at Haxx silently. "Well, I don't know what Edward is doing. He didn't tell me." Haxx barked. C.P. turned around as if shunning Haxx. "Ahh! You better be glad Ms. Holiday does not understand binary!" Haxx could not believe what he heard. "Who are you waiting for?" asked Amanda as she looked at a checklist. "The fire team leader and his.. significant other." Haxx stood there, emotionless. "Ah. What about you? Do you have a 'significant other'?" Amanda was trying to keep the conversation going. "Why? Exos don't have sexual organs for reproduction..." "....Okay...." "Come on! Hurry, Gale!" yelled Edward dragging Gale by her arm. "D***it, Ed! Just tell me what is going on!" she yelled back, yanking her arm out of his grasp. Edward crawled into his ship, as did everyone else. "There is a Cabal invasion of Mars, okay?!" "Thank you!" Gale climbed put on her helmet and checked the gear. "Five!" Edward counted down to launch. "You could've told me there was..." "Four!" "A Cabal......" "Three!" "Invasion........" "Two!" "Of.... Mars?....." "One!" "Wait a minute!...." "LAUNCH!!" the three ships gave off a blinding flash as they left the hanger. "One of a kind... all three of them..." said Amanda as she watched the ships take off. Meanwhile, the team had already entered warp drive. They were a quarter to Mars before anyone spoke. "I love you, Gale..." Edward was testing the waters. At first, silence. "... You're an a**..." Edward smiled at her comment. "I know." he checked the different screens in the ship. "I'm in trouble..." he thought to himself. "Haxx... you wouldn't lie to me..." said Gale over the headset. "Oh no.." thought Edward. "Where are we going?" asked Gale. "Uhhh.... ummm.... Mars.?." Haxx tried to keep it a secret. "Haxx.. you too? You turned against me?" Gale tried to fake cry over the headset. The only reply were three loud bangs from Edward hitting his head on the dashboard. "I never thought my friends would betray me like this..." continued Gale. "Uhh, Edward?!" asked Haxx. This time, the sound of glass breaking filled the mic. "Wait, hold up! Let me get a new helmet! The visor broke!" yelled Edward. "I guess no one loves me anymore..." "FINE!!!" yelled Edward. "Sparrow Racing. We are going Sparrow Racing..." "Oh, Sparrow Racing?! Sounds fun!" yelled Gale with excitement. One final bang from Edward echoed through everyone's ears. The three Guardians walked to the starting line. They summoned their sparrows and looked at the other three racing them. "New to this? One tip: Once you are on the sparrow, DO NOT get off." yelled a titan loosening his shoulders. "Got it... thanks." replied Edward. Everyone looked forward, hands on the throttles, waiting, waiting for the green light. As soon as the lights changed from from blood red to emerald green, the six sparrows were off! Edward missed the first gate, letting Gale and Haxx to pass him! "Okay... hit the gates. Makes sense." he said to himself. Edward caught up to the group of racers ahead! "Prepare to eat my dust!" yelled Edward. He thrusted his sparrow to the right and knocked Gale away from the gate! "Hey!" she screamed. Edward thrusted to the left and pushed Haxx away! With his last burst of energy, he lined back up with the gate! Edward drove into the wall of the turn. Gale and Haxx, keeping a slow and steady speed, rounded the turn with ease. Edward sat there, waiting for his sparrow to recharge. "Ah s***..." "Sorry, dear but you shouldn't have gotten so cocky." said Gale in the headset. Edward finally caught up to the rest of the racers just as they approached a gravity lift! "Hello, Edward." said Haxx looking slightly behind him. Everyone entered the booster. A hunter's ghost had activated the destabilizers, sending the two spiraling out of control and explode. "Wow! That ghost is a d***..." said Gale watching the burning sparrow tumble through the dust. Edward pulled up beside the titan from earlier. He was an exo. They were neck and neck, approaching the fan blades. The exo quickly calculated the blades' rotation. He saw that at both of their speeds, they would drive into the blades. The titan slowed down and got on Edward's right. Edward cringed as he saw his inevitable death. The titan smiled behind his helmet, knowing he was going to take the lead. Then, the motor of the fan locked up causing the blades to recoil! Edward was able to pass through a gap that SHOULD'VE moved on. The titan was flung out of the track screaming! "That was convenient..." said Kelly. "Very..." Edward was astonished by what he saw. "Second lap!" announced Amanda as the Guardians passed through the starting gate. The lineup was Edward in first, Haxx in second, Gale in third, the warlock in fourth, the hunter in fifth, and the titan in sixth. The Guardians navigated the trail, weaving through obstacles, clearing jumps, and entered the gates! (Lot more fun than it sounds) The race continued! The warlock pulled up next to Gale. The woman pulled out her sidearm and shot at Gale! The warlock constantly made sure not to hit anything, but she would look to her left and fire a few rounds! Gale dodged most of the bullets, but one went into her arm! "Ow!" she checked the wound. "Nice try, sister." Gale said to herself. Gale summoned a storm grenade and threw it in front of the warlock. Clouds formed and a bolt of lightning struck the woman's head! She fell off the back, tumbling multiple times, and was skewered by the titan behind them! The six Guardians made the same jump as before, luckily passed through the blades again, and drove through the plaza leading to the gate! "Final lap! Keep driving Guardians!" yelled Amanda! The track was nothing different. Edward, taking the lead, boosted into a small jump! After landing, he turned sharply to the right! Everyone cleared the fans again and it was down to the last stretch! Edward had the lead with Haxx just behind him! Edward cleared the last few gates and just had to give his sparrow gas! He looked behind him, Haxx was trying to pass him! Edward looked back forward to see the last gate loom ahead! Behind him, C.P. gave Haxx some measurements! Haxx nodded then did something unbelievable! C.P. held the throttle forward as Haxx stepped onto the front of the sparrow! He marched to the very end of it, looked forward, then jumped! His downward momentum caused the sparrow to flip end over end in the air! Edward noticed the shadow below him and looked up! "What the h***?!" Haxx was hanging onto the handle bars as his sparrow flipped into the gate... before Edward. "We have a winner!" cried Amanda!