FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

After two long days Alice, Katie, the twins, both Joes, Wes and Tim stood in the shop admiring the finished Viper. The seductive body lines and candy red paint glimmering under the shop's lights. It had sixty miles on the engine and drive line, all of it on the chassis dynometer for break in and tuning. It was ready to join its sister car in the trailer for the trip to another world.

Alice and her pair of snakes were itching to strike. The anticipation of this race was greater than the race on the Amazon world. Alice knew what to expect this time, fierce competition and another world of challenges to overcome. She was one hundred percent, physically and mentally ready. Nodrog had checked her out in his unique and very careful ways.

The Salaks pavement was unlike nearly anything on earth. They actually melted down junk tires and mixed it with the asphalt they used to pave. Creating a durable and incredibly grippy surface. So they would not even bother taking soft compound tires with them.

Nodrog was in his true form as they loaded the last of the equipment in the container he would teleport. The ship had left two hours ago. The Salaks would allow the ships to arrive directly at their home world. They were far more trusting than the Amazons. And surprisingly they had better planetary defenses in place than the more war focused races would have imagined.

Jim and the others inside the modified plane let Nodrog know they were ready. The container rocked slightly as Nodrog pulled it into the air enough to get a foot off the ground. Then the world went black before quickly coming back and a new world greeted them through the windows.

The starship and plane would slowly vent off the pressure inside to equal that of the outside environment. Nodrog did not notice the air difference at all, however the gravity difference was enough to cause an interesting sensation.

Nodrog took his false form and greeted the Salaks that came over. All of them small, energetic and adorable. The older people with him did notice the atmosphere difference and most looked rather annoyed by the fact a few of their group did not.

"That is not fair." Jim grumbled as the twins and Jenny scampered around excitedly.

"The gravity is weird." Alice said as she carried Harley in her arms, why Jenny and the twins were being dorks.

The Salaks had an electronic translator, similar to the one in the Velopian power armor. However since they were so good at the arts, learning languages was another area the small salamander race picked up quickly. It was not uncommon for a Salak to know four or more languages.

The gravity difference meant for the average human they would feel nearly fifteen pounds lighter. Making the twins and Jenny incredibly light since they were so thin anyways, and they all did a lot of running.

Now that some of them were settled down, they could get the equipment to the race track and do a little sightseeing before they found gym facilities to work out in. The city was vast, and the buildings reached high above the trees of the semi tropical world. There was vast amounts of water everywhere, but it was not humid as the Amazon world.

The track was actually non existence, unless it was needed for a race. Because the Salaks simply raced on a portion of the city streets. There was a small road course where the competitors could test and tune, but the race itself would be in the city.

"You look excited, love." Jenny said as they looked over the map of what would be the actual race course.

Alice smiled. "Of course, because I have raced on city streets before. They have part of their highway closed off for us, and then a tight downtown section."

"I am a bit jealous." Wes said.

Sidney smiled. "I am glad you like it. This is the track we use for our world finals."

"Well then I am excited and honored." Alice said.

Carly was equally excited. "I am as well. Reminds me of a race they hold in Tokyo."

They left the small race facility to take in some local flair. Which this city looked like the futuristic science fiction city one would expect to see. Robots, androids, cyborgs and driver-less vehicles were everywhere. Elevated platforms connected buildings together and the AI worked hand in hand with the Salaks.

Business was an easy proposition since the robots knew dozens of languages and customs. Along with current exchange rates for the most popular of currency. In fact the people carrier they were riding in had no driver. So the four Salaks with them could talk away and answer any questions they had.

Lucy was very surprised at how integrated the androids and robots where in teaching. They taught science, math, language and history. The Salaks taught things like art, philosophy, theater and shop classes. They did have a school system that separated grade levels more so than the Amazons. There was still several different age groups in a single class.

One thing the Salaks made clear from the start was under no condition was treating the AI residents as slaves acceptable. The artificial life had the same rights as the biological life. There was a week long holiday to celebrate the acceptance of the artificial life as equals to the biological life. Because now, one could not really live without the other. The machines could do work that the Salaks could not and the machines could not make the delicate repairs they sometimes needed.

The semi sentient plant could not harm the AI bodies. Which was the reason the Salaks built artificial life in the first place. It just quickly expanded from that. While the android and robot bodies were stout and designed to last a long time, it was the complex circuitry and computers that gave them life that only the Salaks could repair. The AI systems were so advanced they could appreciate the things the Salaks did for them. Including the art, plays and poems written for them.

They got the chance to see an example as they passed a school bus full of kids. Their guides explained that the kids painted or wrote things on the bus in gratitude for safely taking them places. The AI buses were proud of the scribbles and doodles the younger children gave them.

By the end of their first day everyone but Nodrog and Roslyn was tired from the thinner air and were glad to crawl into bed. The two of them sat up a little later down in the hotel's bar and lounge.

"Now this is the kind of place I imagined from reading all of those books when I was younger." Roslyn said as an android with four arms mixed her the favorite drink of the Salaks.

"I admit it is incredible. You seem to be handling the thin air rather well." Nodrog said.

"I do notice it, and have had to breathe a little deeper. But I am in very good physical condition." Roslyn said as Nodrog paid for her drink.

"Of that there is little doubt." Nodrog said.

"Most magic using life forms have little trouble traveling world to world." The robot bar tender said with a slightly masculine tone.

"I am a bit curious, and do not want to sound rude. But I am surprised how well you AI and Salaks work together. Has it always been so fluid?" Roslyn asked.

The robot chuckled. "Actually that is a frequently asked question of off world travelers. Sadly it is not always a smooth as we would like. There was some turmoil before and just after we were integrated into society."

"There usually are some hardships during such transitions." Nodrog said.

"Indeed there are. Our biggest concern now is not with rouge AI or frightened creators turning on us. It is crimes of passion." The bar tender said as it wiped some glassware dry.

"Crimes of passion?" Roslyn asked. Still getting used to the very life like things the robot did. Like nodding his flat round head, or the fluctuations of his voice when he talked.

The robot continued to straighten up the bar. "The Salaks sometimes forget we are artificial life. Leading to some becoming very emotionally attached to us. Granted children and adolescents do not understand death so it is to be expected. The adults should know better, but emotion is a powerful thing."

"Oh, I think I understand." Roslyn said. The drink had two different, but strong alcohols in it, and had a sweet flavor making it go down very easy.

"There was a very sad incident a few months ago. Where a female Salak truly thought a male android loved her. I do not know all the details, but she killed the AI and herself." The robot said with very noticeable emotion behind his voice.

"That does sound tragic." Roslyn said and after a pause. "On to a lighter subject, how many different drinks do you know?"

The robot tilted his head as he thought. "Nine hundred and forty two alcoholic drinks and three hundred non alcoholic drinks. Those of us AI in this line of work are connected to a network, so if either of you teach me a new drink, I can share it with my fellow bar keeps."

"I thought all of you were connected to a single network." Nodrog said.

"Some networks overlap, but we generally stay to our own groups to keep network traffic down and conserve energy. I am connected to the transportation, security and psychology networks, since they are of considerable use in being a bar keep." The robot said and seemed to have pride in his work.

Roslyn gave it a little thought. "I can see the logic behind that. Transportation so you could call a cab, or give directions to places of interest. Security in case a few have a few too many drinks and cause a problem. And psychology for talking to patrons who are feeling a little down."

The robot nodded in agreement. "That is absolutely correct. The only AI group that is connected to everyone is security. It makes sending important information out much faster. An example would be if a child goes missing or a fugitive is on the loose."

Roslyn glanced at her watch. "I should probably call it a night. Thank you for suggesting the drink, it was very good."

"You are welcome." The robot said.

Roslyn gave Nodrog a kiss before heading up to their room. Nodrog stayed down at the bar watching the news.

"I don't suppose you know what the gaming industry thinks of the upcoming race?" Nodrog asked.

"I do, because it is headline news. With the upset Alice Mclaren had last year, the gaming industry is having a difficult time figuring odds. Because of the thin air on this world, the odds are more in favor of the four drivers from low atmosphere worlds. The Salaks' two drivers and the pair of Yovar drivers. Personally I am going for Sidney, she is the reigning champion, though Alice has shown she is a very good driver." The robot said.

"What about the Amazon drivers?" Nodrog asked.

"I think last year they were a little over confidant, this year I am sure they will be more focused. They unfortunately have the most difficult time with this planet's atmosphere since it is considerably less dense than their own. Still they are in excellent physical condition, so they are not ruled out." The robot chuckled.

"So it is still anyone's race at this point." Nodrog chuckled.

"That it is. Plus the massive influx of visitors is a major boon for the economy. I am expecting to be very busy in the near future. I had my mechanic come by last week for a tune up so I would not be down this week." The robot said.

"That makes sense. What sort of tune up, if I may ask." Nodrog said and finished off another beer.

"Mainly to check the calibrations of the sensors I use to measure, mix and weigh ingredients. Plus one of my shoulder servos was starting to stick, so it needed replaced. Do you want another?" The robot asked as it rolled over to a fridge.

"Yeah, might as well." Nodrog said with a smile.

Nodrog headed up to his and Roslyn's room around six local time. To shower and change clothes. Today he would be accompanying Marko and Dmitri to various meetings. Kitty, Catlin, Sherman, Samantha and Tabbatha would also be with them.

Dmitri and Tabbatha were both noticeably bothered by the thin air. Despite his considerable size, Marko showed no signs of the thin air affecting him at all. They had an assigned AI people carrier to take them around town. It was electric and ran off of lithium batteries under the floor.

With no driver, the floor was entirely flat, with very large windows. The two captain's chairs up at the front could swivel but were a little small for Nodrog and Marko. The two of them sat on the bench seat at the rear. The people carrier's AI was not as advanced as the AI the bar keep had. It drove people around and did not need complex emotions or encyclopedic knowledge. It was still sentient and had certain values. Like doing a good job, and being of assistance in its field of work, transportation.

The Salaks were very advanced in all forms of technology. Especially in developing AI. Which was something Marko himself was greatly interested in. It was also an area the Salaks kept close to their chest. Not because they were greedy or unwilling to share data, but because they did not like the way some races wanted to use the AI. Artificial life was still life in their eyes and not something to exploit. Which tied back into what the bar keep had told him.

Artificial inelegance was still in its infancy on earth. It had hit a brick wall in advancing further, both in development and in the mass suicide took many of the pioneers in the field. Plus humans were still very afraid of the AI turning on them as depicted in pop culture. Still Marko was interested in pursuing the study for both military and medical aspects.

So he was a bit shocked to find that there were no AI medical robots or androids. As for military the Salaks did use AI heavily, because the machines could operate in conditions the Salaks could not. The Salaks were pioneers in the concept of power armor, because their small build and hollow bones were not an asset when fighting those races who were bigger and stronger.

The Salaks did like their drink, and were always looking for different and exotic liquor and spirits. Part of their poisonous physiology came from the liquor they drank, and despite their small size, they could drink anyone but a dragon under the table.

Dmitri and Tabbatha had a difficult time with the salamander races enthusiasm and boundless amounts of energy. Every where they went, they were greeted with fan fair and cheer. The fact Nodrog was amused by their discomfort only made the two angrier.

By the end of the eight hour day even Marko was a little tired. Still he was pleased with the things they had gotten done.

The AI people carrier hummed along as it took them back to the hotel they were staying at.

"I hope we will do business with a race that is not so upbeat and energetic." Kitty said.

"Come now, it was a nice change of pace. Compared to some of the dull people we do business with." Marko said.

"They certainly are spunky. I wonder how our rambunctious pair fared today." Samantha said.

"I am sure they probably wore themselves out today." Nodrog chuckled.

As they all gathered for dinner, only Jenny and the twins had wore themselves out. Alice was doing just fine, but she can moderate herself better.

"So how is it?" Roslyn asked as Alice took a bite of the killer plant.

Alice chewed on it a little and gave it some thought. "Tastes like okra, actually it is pretty good fried like this."

Jenny pushed the small serving she had onto Alice's plate. "Okra is gross."

Dinner also brought more of the other racers to the hotel. The two Velopian drivers and crew had just gotten into town and settled in. As did the Amazon team.

After dinner Jenny and Alice put Harley to bed and were getting ready themselves. Jenny let out a surprised scream as Alice threw open the shower curtain. "You scared me Alice... are you okay?"

Alice was naked, very aroused and wet. She also had the strap on in her hand "Oh I feel better than okay."

Jenny was a little nervous as Alice stepped into the shower pulled the curtain closed and pushed her against the wall. She was a little surprised by Alice's sudden strength as her mouse held her arms up and against the shower wall.

"I want you, right now." Alice said and kissed Jenny. Letting go of Jenny's arms to put the strap on, on Jenny and closing the clasps. Alice then turned so her back was to Jenny, leaned forward and with both hands spread her cute ass cheeks and vulva. "Don't keep me waiting."

Jenny was having second thoughts about giving her portion of the plant to Alice. Because Alice was never this demanding. Jenny pushed the toy inside of Alice and started thrusting. It was also unlike Alice to be quite so vulgar when they had sex. Jenny did everything she knew would get Alice to climax.

The shower water had gone cold as Jenny sat on the floor panting. They had came three times, and she was exhausted. Her legs were weak and sore from doing everything Alice wanted. But Alice was still not satisfied.

Jenny called Nodrog to come to their bathroom and hopefully calm her love down. She wanted to join in as she watched his metal prick disappear into Alice's hot little hole. It took all of her strength to get dried off and into bed.

Nodrog was concerned at the plant's effect on Alice as the two of them had sex in the bathroom. He was using his magic to add to the pleasure he gave her. As he tied her a second time in her ass she seemed to have calmed down. She would need a second shower to get all of the cum washed out of her fur and hair.

It was rather late when Nodrog put Alice to bed. Jenny had fallen asleep rather quickly after she got under the covers. As it turned out, Alice was not the only one to have suffered from such strong desire.

Tabbatha had also ate a good sized portion of the plant, she was beyond embarrassed for having lost her self control. At least Marko understood the plants effects and was not going to discipline her for throwing herself on him. While he would never say such a crude thing, she was very good in bed and had quite the hot little body under her modest dress.

Marko and Nodrog agreed that the humans should not eat the plant for the remainder of this trip. So Nodrog talked to the wait and cooking staff after breakfast to make sure they did not offer it to the humans. Starting today Nodrog would be with Alice and those on her crew to work on getting acclimated to the world.

Which started out with some aerobics and a light jog. The twins were the first to get really acclimated. Alice, Wes and Katie were doing good by the third day they had been on world. Tim, Little Joe and Ron at least were to the point they could make it without needing a break every hour. Jim would have the hardest time of them all.

Testing and tuning stared a little earlier on the Salak world. Since it had such a different climate and air density than the other worlds. Alice and Carly learned very quickly traction was not going to be an issue. After three quick laps Alice had to pull into the garage for a worrying vibration the car had developed.

"I don't think I have ever seen that before." Ron said as they stood under the car looking up. The carbon fiber drive shaft from the transmission to the rear end was twisted and had nearly pulled the yoke out of the tail housing.

"I would have thought the shaft would have cracked." DJ said as she wondered what they were going to do. They turned as Carly and Doug walked into the garage.

"I don't suppose Jim could machine us another toe rod?" Doug asked and held up the rod in question. It adjusted the rear toe in and out, the car had so much traction and torque under power the wheels wanted to toe in. Which bent the bar on the right side of the car.

"Yeah I can make you a new one. Instead of machining it, maybe I will make you a pair out of chromolly tubing." Jim said as he looked the part over.

"Don't you think weight will be an issue?" TJ asked as she pulled the twisted drive shaft out.

"It is either add weight, or take away power. What about your driveline?" Doug asked.

"I think we are going to have to make a shaft out of metal. Or run narrower rear tires." Ron said.

"Do we have the material to do that?" Alice asked.

"No but I am sure we can buy some from someone here in the city." Jim said and spotted one of the AI that worked at the race track. "Maybe he would know."

TJ picked up the shaft and jogged over to the robot. "Excuse me, can you help me with something?"

"I will do my best." The robot responded and looked down at the part she held in her hand.

"We need to machine a new drive shaft for our car. Can you tell me where I can get some metal tubing?" TJ asked.

"Most of the teams here get their drive shafts made at a performance shop on the corner of 36th and Custard, called DLS. They sell tubing if you insist on making your own." The robot said.

"Okay, thank you very much." TJ said with a smile before jogging back to the garage.

"So what did you find out?" Ron asked as TJ set the drive shaft down.

"There is a place called DLS that most of the local teams go to that make drive shafts and sell tubing. So I guess a little shopping trip is in order." TJ said.

"Alight, lets get the spare shaft in so Alice can get some more laps on the car. That way Joe can work on getting it tuned. TJ and I will head down to this shop and see about getting some tubing." Ron said.

"Doug give me a little bit and I can get you some thicker toe rods." Jim said.

"No hurry, we had a spare set. But I think they won't last too long, unless Carly and Alice stick to a little slower pace while we get the engines tuned." Doug said and chuckled when Carly punched him in the arm.

"I am going to lessen the traction control system so it will not engage so harshly." Little Joe said as he reached for his computer and a couple cables.

Nodrog joined Ron and TJ, in case there was not an AI at the store that spoke English. They found a free cargo transporter AI to give them a lift to the shop. The AI knew exactly where they needed to go, having made the trip several times for other teams.

TJ felt like she was walking into Joe and Katie's shop back home. It had a similar layout and parts and accessories on the walls and shelves. This was the shop that Sidney was based out of, and she was happy to see the three of them.

"What can we do for you?" Sidney asked bright eyed and with a large smile.

"You work the counter and drive?" TJ asked.

Sidney nodded yes. "Usually I work on my car, but the boss and parts manager just took off to get lunch."

Ron set the twisted drive shaft on the counter. "We need to get some metal tubing to make a couple drive shafts."

"Oh my, I thought we mentioned that carbon fiber was not a good choice for drive shafts... So sorry about that. Can I cut the shaft so I can measure the inside diameter?" Sidney asked.

"Of course." Ron said, happy to see there were other drivers like his daughter out there.

The brightly colored girl took the shaft back with her, and after a few minutes returned with the shaft. "Alice's car is all wheel drive, is the front shaft the same size?"

"Yes, I did that on purpose." TJ said with a smile.

"Well we have something real close. If you don't mind a little machine work to open the end up a bit." Sidney said.

"How close are we talking?" TJ asked.

Sidney set a scrap piece of tubing on the counter and placed the cut out end on the scrap. "Not sure how much it would be in Earth measurement, but as you can see maybe a hair width."

"What do you think Ron?" TJ asked.

"If the shaft is this thick there shouldn't be a problem. What do you want Jim to make it out of?" Ron asked.

TJ thought about it. "I guess that depends on what they have. So what do you have in stock?"

"Steel, aluminum, and titanium. The titanium is on the pricy side, but that is what I run in my own car." Sidney said.

"We will need a piece as long as he is tall." TJ said and pointed to Nodrog.

"Let me make sure we have that much." Sidney said and scampered back to the back once more. After a little while she came out followed by a robot carrying the tubing.

"Will this work?" The robot asked.

Ron and TJ looked it over. "That will work very well." TJ said and smiled.

Nodrog actually paid for the rather pricy piece while the robot put it in the back of the AI truck.

"I am a bit curious, why tell us what you are running in your car?" Ron asked.

Sidney just smiled. "I enjoy racing with exceptional drivers like your daughter. I was close last year, so I want Alice to be at her best. It makes victory all the sweeter if you know everyone was at the top of their game."

Chapter.

Carly and Alice finished out the day without tearing up the backup parts. It did make tuning a little harder, but they would have a little more track time before the streets were closed for actual circuit practice and qualifying.

Jim spent the afternoon cutting and machining, with TJ's help. She machined the drive shafts so Jim could TIG weld the ends on. With that done she put them on the lath and ran them up as fast as the machine would go to check run out and balance.

Balancing the shafts was the following days priority. Since the Viper would spin the shafts faster than the lath could. They were true and straight, and thanks once more to Sidney they were balanced to an RPM well above the speed they would see in the Viper.

With the stout drive shafts in the Viper and thicker toe rods in the GT, the two ladies made a few high speed laps to check the parts out and get a better reading on fuel consumption, fluid and exhaust temps, and tire wear. Both were happy with the car's handling and power.

Finally it was time to pack up and head down town to the garage that they would use for the actual race. The streets were then closed after all of the equipment was moved. The Salaks decided to use the same flags, lights and signals as the Amazons had. Mainly to keep things easier on everyone. Robots and Salaks alike were setting up grandstands along portions of the track after the fencing and barriers were in place. This allowed the drivers to practice and tune in the shorter window. Because some of the roads were major arteries and highways.

The hotel the teams were staying in overlooked a large portion of the track including pit lane and the start finish line. It also over looked a very large and lush park. Which is where Jenny and Lucy spent a fair amount of time with Harley while Alice did her driver stuff. The Salaks were far more welcoming than the Amazons, so it was little trouble to find places to explore or things to do. With the considerable AI presence, navigating the alien city was a very easy thing to do. Even the twins could not get lost, which is saying something. Lucy, Jenny and Carrel took in a community theater play one afternoon out in the park.

If people wanted there was access to the roof for those who wanted to see nearly everything. Granted there was also a pool, hot tub and a full bar up there. The main ballroom took up nearly the one side of the building, and once sectioned off provided smaller rooms for guests to use. There were several TVs in the rooms to cover the areas out of view. The only reason the Salaks divided it up at all was they knew certain groups did not interact well together.

Alice and Carly sat on a tool box watching the practice runs of the other competitors. They were a little more relaxed this year than last year. Most everyone here they had raced against with two exceptions. It was a smaller field of drivers, because despite two different races competing, four others did not show up. Alice figured it was their loss. The Velopian jet cars were re-geared it seemed as well. The two cars accelerated far quicker than they had on the Amazon world. Though they still did not pull as hard as the large displacement engines could.

The Salaks also would wait until last to qualify, having ran this course not even a full month ago. It would become a trend actually as the series continued on. As would a different race hosting the event would be. The only thing that really would change was how many people wanted to attend the race in person. The massive city had filled up quickly as people from all edges of the universe came to watch.

Off world crime was even less of a concern since the Salaks sent out ten foot tall war machines to patrol the streets. These AI had no equipment for appearance sake. They had reverse joint legs, arms that were unmistakably weapon systems and were flat grey in color. They did have strobe lights, sirens and could run nearly fifty miles per hour on the hard pavement. Flame throwers were also standard equipment, in case the semi sentient plants decided to act up. The Amazons were notably impressed with the equipment law enforcement and the military had.

Finally after a week of preparation Alice and Carly could strap into their cars and qualify. DJ hooked Alice to the computer and coolant system while Alice buckled in. "I would say good luck, but I know you don't need it." DJ said with a smile.

Alice only blushed and smiled. She pressed the button to start the car as DJ closed the passenger door. Alice pulled out on to pit road and headed down for her qualifying laps. Carly would pull out of her pit once Alice crossed the yellow line at the end of pit road. With the exception of the actual highway portion and a long straight with only a dog leg, drafting was not as important.

Alice hammered through the gears as she navigated the city circuit. Little Joe had nearly turned the traction control system off to keep from twisting or snapping parts. To lose more grip they had switched to drift tires. Nodrog made a trip back to earth to pick up a dozen sets of the tires. Even with the difficulties the high traction surface and low oxygen air gave Little Joe and the twins. The three of them still got the Viper to handle and perform the way Alice wanted her cars to.

The gathered crowd watched the sinister car cut tight lines and howled in anger as Alice piloted it around the city streets. The start finish line was at the dog leg of the two long straights. Alice slammed it into seventh gear and laid hard into the power. They had changed the gears to lower the car's top speed and increase its power down low. Another reason to switch to the less sticky tire compound. Alice smiled as her stomach did a flip as the Viper crested a hill. Getting more down force was tricky, but it wouldn't be fun if it wasn't a challenge. At least that is how Alice thought.

Just as Alice kissed two hundred and two miles an hour it was hard on the brakes and belching fire as she downshifted to make the tight corner. The nasty V10's exhaust reverberating off the tall buildings as Alice attacked the circuit. City streets were a little grittier than well groomed and maintained race tracks. The rumble of crossing the train and trolley tracks, the tire whine on the few concrete sections.

The facility the Amazon's had was beautiful, a thrill to drive and allowed many opportunities to overtake a car. It was a dream to drive, unlike the track she had dreamed about. But being downtown in the thick of where the Salaks did business, entertained and lived. Knowing that people could see her right now just qualifying, made her soul sing. Children on play grounds watched with wide eyed fascination, and excitement for the race the following day.

Alice had spent hours racing on city streets and was very comfortable to be inches from sky scrapers, zipping past traffic lights and even going on the wrong side of the road. It was in that regard Alice had a foot up on Carly and some of the other drivers. She, Wes and Mike had all been side by side over a hundred miles an hour dodging traffic and cops late at night. Along with potholes big enough to swallow a truck and rival gangs.

Despite the lack of out running the law, the city circuit still brought out similar emotion. The city was designed to allow light to reach the ground, but there was still shadows from buildings, trees and other objects across the track. This was the lead footed mouse's natural environment. Remove the fencing and barriers, the city would be her play ground, or hunting ground depending on her mood.

Partly due to her love affair of racing on city streets, Alice once again posted a time that Sidney just couldn't match, putting the cute little salamander in second place. Carly posted a time that landed her in third place for the start. Which worked out rather well since that put her directly behind Alice on the starting grid. The Velopians were behind the Salaks and Humans.

"That's the second time she has done that." Sidney pouted as they locked up.

"I still have faith in you sis." Jaycee said and gave her older sister a hug.

Sidney smiled. "Thanks. I suppose now we will just have to see how things go."

"You always want to race the best, so far that cute little rodent has shown she is one of the best." Jaycee said.

Sidney blushed as she looked over at the human's pit. "Admittedly you are right on both counts. She is a very good driver, and very pretty."

"To bad she is taken." Jaycee said and giggled as her sister blushed even more. "I never would have thought your dream girl would have fur and be your equal in driving stupidly fast."

"You can cut it out any time now." Sidney grumbled.

Jaycee smiled. "Sorry. Lets go get some dinner and call it a day."

"Good plan." Sidney said.

Alice and Tabbatha both stayed very far away from the carnivorous plant that was concentrated sex drive, battered and fried. Not only did it have very powerful effects, they were both very aware of what they did while under its influence. No amount of Jenny or Marko telling them to not worry about it was going to change their minds.

Alice felt the worst since her actions bordered on rape. The thought of hurting Jenny in such a way was devastating. It would take a while before Alice forgave herself for that. Tabbatha while very embarrassed about her actions was even more embarrassed about how much she enjoyed it. Marko maybe older, but he certainly knew how to please a younger woman.

Nodrog and Marko figured the plant had certain enzymes or chemicals that had similar effects of alcohol. Mainly the parts that gave it the nickname 'liquid courage' since it enabled people to do things they would not do sober. It would be something that would require a little further investigation. So far it was the only foreign food that had any noticeable negative effects on humans. Really the only problems were nutrients and vitamins contained in the food. Which made some things the Salaks and Velopians considered good for you, nothing but empty calories to humans.

That was something they were monitoring a little closer. Since the starship had medical staff and a small lab, they drew blood every other day to keep an eye on things. With twice as many with them this trip than last, it would give a better picture of what might need to be addressed for further space travel.

The only one to complain about it was Harley, Jenny and Alice knew it was necessary, but that didn't make them feel any better. As Nodrog and Roslyn discussed a little while ago, children got a long with no sign of caring that they were not the same species or even from different galaxies entirely. It was another point of common ground they all found interesting as they spent time interacting with different races.

Nodrog and Roslyn met Inilth and Dallarth for dinner. Roslyn was a little surprised to see a very handsome male Velopian with Dallarth. She and Nodrog were both surprised to find out Perenth and Inilth were so close. While they did talk about the actual auto race, they mainly talked about how the different races were getting along.

"The Velopians and Salaks have been allies for some time now. The Humans are so far getting on very good terms with both." Inilth said as they enjoyed the open bar on the hotel roof.

"Indeed, the medical equipment the humans have given us, is invaluable. It has already saved countless lives." Tolthain Branhard said with a soft tenor. He was a gazelle or antelope Roslyn thought. With just a pair of horns that curved back slightly. He had handsome green eyes, brown hair and a good tan. A little more muscular than many of the Velopians she had seen thus far. Not like Nodrog or Sherman, but he was stronger looking than the average male Velopian.

"I think Marko was a little surprised how advanced the Salaks are. Though they are happy to trade some technology for liquor and spirits." Nodrog said.

Perenth chuckled. "They do love their drinks. Most are caught off guard by how advanced and well protected they are. They peruse all things with open eyes and unwavering determination."

"I heard Jenny talking about it, did Alice try the plant?" Inilth asked.

Nodrog frowned. "She did, and it had a very powerful effect on her. I don't think she will try it again."

"The little mouse wore out a dragon even... At least that is what Jenny told me." Roslyn teased.

"It has been known to affect some people a little more than others." Tolthain said and smiled.

Inilth nodded in agreement. "I see our charges and the Salaks are in nearly the same starting positions as last year."

"I do not think that sat well with the Amazons." Dallarth said and the dragons paused.

Tolthain laughed as the dragons spoke in draconic. "At least I have someone to talk to when they do that."

"I would translate for you, but I was just silently told not to." Roslyn said and gave Nodrog a raspberry. "As silly as it sounds, your last name sounds familiar."

"That doesn't surprise me, Alice is racing against my younger sister." Tolthain said.

"Of course, Lorain Branhard... She nearly beat Alice last year. I wonder if this year will be as close?" Roslyn said and looked down at the race track.

"I know my sister is hoping it is close, though she would like to be the winner." Tolthain said with a smile.

"Speaking of competition... And I do not mean to sound rude, but do you play sports? You are a little more muscled than most of the male Velopians I have seen." Roslyn said.

Tolthain laughed, and bowed slightly. "I am the captain of my team. I play field ball."

Roslyn smiled, it was Alyvia's favorite sport. It was played like soccer, basketball and rugby. They ran a football shaped ball, but passed it like a soccer or basket ball. The goal was half the size of a soccer goal, but the points worked more like basketball, with more points awarded the farther from the goal you were. "I have heard of it from some of the Velopian warriors. I have been wanting to actually go to a game some time."

Tolthain smiled. "The season starts in a few months. I can get you tickets for our opening game if you like."

"That would be awesome. I am not sure if Nodrog would be interested, but I know a certain little kitten would be interested in going." Roslyn said with a smile. She and Jenny had talked about going to the Velopian world to see a game at least once. Alyvia and some of the others made it sound like it was their biggest sport.

"A pair of tickets it is." Tolthain said, pulling out what looked like a phone, or a handheld computer and tapped in a note or two. "I assume I could just have Dallarth give Nodrog them."

"That would probably be the easiest considering the distance. And thank you for getting them for me." Roslyn said.

Tolthain smiled. "No problem. It is easy to tell a true sports enthusiast from the casual fan."

"There are certainly a lot of fans invading this world." Roslyn said and looked over the crowd gathered up here on the roof.

"That there are. I admit, I am a little jealous of my sister. I did not think she would get this much fame driving fast." Tolthain said.

"I get the feeling none of them had expected this kind of a reaction." Roslyn said.

"I suppose that racing would be the easiest to make rules and regulations for. Given the widely different physical traits we all have, normal sports might be imposable to overlap so fluidly." Tolthain said.

Roslyn sipped her liquored tea. "It would be hard for those of us with two legs to out run those of you with four legs. Even as fit as you are, I would imagine in a lengthy game the thin air would get to you."

Tolthain shrugged. "Fair enough. You seem to know a great deal about anatomy, are you in the medical field?"

"No. I am a fighter, so I just analyze everyone from that stand point. How can I get the most effect with the least effort. Nodrog and Inilth would be imposable to fight hand to hand with." Roslyn said.

"I got the feeling you were a little different than the other humans." Tolthain said and after a pause to sip his own drink. "So how would I stack up in your mind?"

Roslyn blushed. "You are certainly strong, and much faster on the ground than I am, but..."

"But what?" Tolthain asked.

"I wouldn't do it in a match, but your legs are your weakest point. So if my life depended on it, I would go for a leg fracture or break." Roslyn said.

"You have me there, leg injuries are the most common injury to my kind. It has grown rather late, and I cannot stay up as late as my lovely companion." Tolthain said.

"They are a little irritating in that regard." Roslyn said and smiled when Nodrog looked at her.

Tolthain gave Dallarth a kiss on her cheek and whispered in her ear before he headed off to their bedroom for the evening. Roslyn finished off her drink before deciding to call it a night herself.

Roslyn found it amusing how dragons tended to end up being the subject of another's affection. It was clear the handsome Velopian loved Dallarth, especially since whatever he had said caused her to blush slightly. She glanced at her reflection in the mirror as she stripped to take a shower. A smile crossing her lips as she felt Nodrog's eyes on her naked body as he simply teleported to their room. "Care to join me, or are you still tuckered out from Alice?"

"Just for that, maybe I will keep you up late." Nodrog playfully growled. He was a little surprised to just hear the shower turn on and no smart reply back. He got ready for bed instead, admiring Roslyn's lovely curves in the mirror as he cleaned up.

"Thank you for not saying anything." Nodrog said as she came out dry but still naked.

"You told me not too, and I know better than to disagree with a dragon. Though Tolthain could just ask Dallarth." Roslyn said and smiled as she bent over in such a way he got an eye full of her assets.

"Fair enough. On that topic though, I am surprised she didn't agree to be his mate sooner. I noticed you and several other ladies thought he was very good looking." Nodrog smiled at her obvious embarrassment.

"He is certainly a very fine example of the male Velopian form. Actually any male really, athletic, good looking and from the little we talked rather polite." Roslyn said.

"I have yet to meet a rude Velopian." Nodrog said as he turned on his electronic book.

Roslyn gave him a kiss before getting into bed. "Do you ever consider it might be due to the small fact you are a dragon made out of metal?"

"With other races I do. However the Velopians are a very polite species, as are the Salaks." Nodrog said and turned off the lights.