Fam Away From Home

The Ghost Monument

The group of venturers rose the crest of a mountain, the suns rising behind them. They'd made it almost to the end of the map's route by the next day, near a total 39 hour rotation.

"We must be near now," Ryan insisted in a grumble at the back of the group. They were tired.

Angstrom stared at her map still. "Says we're close."

The Doctor neared the end of the walk. A tent was set up a few yards closer to them than where the Ghost Monument was said to appear. "There. Your finish line," She reported.

Epzo stepped up next to Angstrom. "Ah, we made it."

"But where's your ship? Where's the Ghost Monument?" Yaz shouted from the back.

The Doctor stared around, up the hill. "It's not here. I don't understand." She stepped up closer. "It should be here. We did all this for nothing?" She mourned. Angstrom stepped up past her and the Doctor focused on her a mo. "So you got here..."

Angstrom gazed down at the group, looking among them all. "And now I'm going to claim my prize."

"What?" Epzo growled, leaning forward. "Your prize?" he laughed.

Angstrom leaned forward. "If I raced you now to that tent, you'd be dust. You're a wreck, Epzo," she chimed explainingly.

Epzo huffed up at her. "How about the girl? She saved me and she saved us all. If anyone should chose-"

"She's taken your voice eighty times now. Don't count on her favoring you," Astra chimed. "And I'm not making any big decisions on who wins and who dies." She frowned at the implication. Sweat began to bead back down her neck, into the coat she was about to pull off again.

The Doctor stepped forward, between the group. "Er, could I make a suggestion?"

Inside the tent, the competitors stepped in time with each other. "Dead heat," Epzo declared.

"Joint first." They piled their hands together. "Dual winners."

The Doctor and co stepped in as well. "With witnesses," the blonde added gloatingly.

The hologram barely hesitated. "What? No. There's never been a joint winner of the Rally."

"There has now!" Angstrom shouted.

"No." The hologram leaned forward. "I will declare the final race null and void."

The two champions lowered their fists and Epzo stepped up to the man. "Ilin, you've made this a living hell for us. I promise you that whatever happens, I will get off this planet, and if we don't get what we both fought for, I will hunt you down and ensure that whatever time you have left is both short-lived and agonising. Do we understand each other?" He stepped back up beside Angstrom. "Now, recognise your equal winners."

The female champion stepped up into the hologram's face. "Pay the prize, or pay the price."

Ilin leaned back into his seat. "I'm honoured to declare a unique joint victory... and equal split."

The winners shared a grin before the blonde tipped woman turned to grin at Astra and the Doctor over her shoulder.

Epzo kept his gaze on Ilin. "Now, get us off this rock."

Ilin rolled his eyes, looking to the side. "Fine."

"And them," Angstrom added.

Ilin laughed. "No," he scoffed. He snapped his fingers and a shout of protest from Angstrom was drowned out by them teleporting away.