Padme: Intervention

Hovercycles. Interesting.

While I had been trained by Captain Panaka and Captain Typho in piloting all means of transportation, it had been some time since I had to, ya know, like, do things for myself.

I approached the hovercycle with confidence and leapt on, grasping the steering handles and gunning the engine. I promptly fell off. How embarrassing.

I got back on and, with more caution, started accelerating. Once I got a feel for it, it all came back to me. Of course, by then, I was left in the dust of the other contestants. But I wasn't about to give up. I raced toward the Coral Reef of Madness.

When I approached the reef, I was surprised to see all sorts of creatures strewn about, presumably eliminated by the contestants that had come before me. Totally awesome! I sped through the reef, needing only a few blaster shots to ward off some of the piranha.

I met a similar scene as I raced through the course: the Lagoon of Danger, Fire Island V... Even the Deadly Water Slide o' Fun was getting tired by the time I arrived. This just didn't seem right.

Then I approached the Old Gladiator's Home. I was prepared to speed by them when I saw a man that reminded me of... No, keep going Padme. Don't think. Race.

But the retirees stood arm-in-arm in my path. With that one in the center. I slowed to a stop and found myself face to face with someone who looked just like Anakin. I stared at him in disbelief.

"Ani?"

Suddenly, the entire scene faded away.

I appeared to be in a strange grid-like room for a moment, then I instantly found myself - unbelievably - at the finish line!

"What the...?" I stared in disbelief at the other contestants milling around and those arriving at the finish line.

Jean-Luc approached me with a twinkle in his eye. "I trust you had a pleasant trip, Padme?"

Um, sure. I have no idea what just happened, but I'm going back to the barracks for a margarita.