“No, I didn’t,” he wheezed. “Was waiting for you to work it out… yesss.”
“NO! YOU LIED TO US,” she shouted again, her eyes blazing like stars. “I don’t care what you say. You watched us run around the room trying to get control of the spaceship, and yet you knew all along how it worked.”
“Why would he lie to us?” asked Ros behind her. “I’m sure it was just a simple mistake.”
“Oh, come on Ros,” said Vyleria, the tips of her fingers glowing purple. “You don’t believe him do you? He stood there and did nothing whilst we chased around the control room like fools.”
“Why shouldn’t I believe him? I trust him about as much as I trust you, and he did at least save us from the comet.”
“Oh come on, if it wasn't for that comet I don't think we'd ever have found out how to fly this spaceship.”
“No, I sssaved you,” hissed Xylem, his eyes regarding Vyleria like a hawk’s.
“No, you didn't – you don't care about us. All you care about is yourself. You're up to something I know it.”
“No. I thought you were intelligent. That you could ssssolve the puzzle yourssselves.”
“Okay then,” she said, the fires in her fingertips continuing to rage. “Prove it. How do we control the spaceship?
“By mind control,” he wheezed. “You…”
“Yes, we know,” said Vyleria. “We tried it already, REMEMBER? But it didn’t work.”
“Because, apart from a few non-important functions I told the ssship to obey only me.”
“YOU DID WHAT?” Vyleria howled. “Why would you do that? What are you up to? What are you planning?"
“Nothing. It was just a tessst.”
“What? Why would you do that to us? That’s not fair. You were trying to steal this ship from us weren’t you? Admit it.”
“No. It was just a tessst,” he hissed, his tongue flicking from side to side like a rattlesnake. “Though I thought that you would figure it out… quicker.”
“Okay,” snapped Vyleria. “How do we get control of the ship then?”
“Think of controlling the ssship,” wheezed Xylem, his pointed pincers twisting and turning. “Of taking command.”
“WHAT? That’s all?”
“Yesss.”
As soon as Vyleria thought about taking control of the spaceship one of the control panels in front of her rushed up and surrounded her encasing her in some kind of transparent material.
The control room vanished.
Vyleria now seemed to be floating face-first in space. The blue gas giant and all its moons swirled before her and all around that was an endless, shoreless sea of stars. All about her were a series of displays, each one revealing information about speed, location, weapons, planets, temperature, as well as a host of other things. And it was all in Rennish too.
She felt the power of the spaceship at her fingertips.
Go right! She thought in her head.
The spaceship swerved right.
Go left!
It whooshed to her left.
Accelerate!
Quicker than a bullet, the spacecraft rushed forward through space at an incredible speed, zooming towards a grey, misty moon ringed by huge chunks of ice and rock. She avoided it easily, twisting left, then right, and then doing a huge loop-the-loop above its frozen North Pole before swooping back to where she had started from. She was exhilarated. She felt so quick, so sleek, so strong. She couldn’t feel any G forces at all. Flying in space had never felt so free and easy.
Next, she tried out the weapons. There were so many it was impossible to count. Billions. The one Xylem had used to destroy the comet was called a sonic cannon.
She aimed it at an ugly-looking asteroid.
It loomed ahead of her cold, dark and mysterious, a five billion-year old relic from the birth of the solar system.
She squeezed an invisible trigger.
It shattered into a cloud of black dust in an instant, its particles of rock and ice shooting and whizzing off into space in all directions.
Then she chose another weapon.
Something called an I-Bomb.
She chose another asteroid to fire at.
This one was almost one hundred miles across and heavily cratered. She looked at the thick black grooves as they rose into bare rugged peaks near the equator. Her finger hovered over the trigger like a bird circling its prey. It looked wildly beautiful.
As she magnified her vision to focus on the mountains, craters and razor-sharp ridges she found herself imagining what it would be like to go down there and explore. Perhaps there would be some good zero-gravity climbing, there might even be ice at the poles or in the bottoms of the craters; perhaps there was life. It might just be bacteria; but it would be life all the same, spectacular and unique.
She thought again. She had always wanted to go into space to discover new life and new planets, not to blow them up.
She took her finger off the trigger and accelerated towards the big blue ball turning on its axis in front of her.
It took no more than a couple of seconds for the spacecraft to reach the planet.
The huge white storm that Vyleria had seen on the view screen before was still spinning across the equator, sucking up other smaller storms as it went. The illuminated displays now changed to give her information about the surface temperature (a very cold -250C), the wind speed of the storm (over 500 miles per hour and increasing), the content of the atmosphere (Hydrogen, Methane, and some gas she didn't know called Paroxane) and whether there was any life present (which there wasn’t). All she had to do was think about any one of these to get further information and more detailed real time data.
Back on her planet her people had been flying into space for over two hundred years. They had gone to all manner of planets, moons and asteroids. Some were breathtakingly beautiful and filled with all kinds of fascinating new species like the Winged Chik-i-kaga, and the lumbering Mimicape, whilst others were just simple dull rocks floating in space without a trace of life on them. But none of her people had ever journeyed through the center of a gas giant before, not even with a remotely controlled spacecraft.
But this spaceship was different. It was fast, powerful and strong. She knew she could do it.
She took the spacecraft out of orbit and plunged into the upper atmosphere like a Razor Hawk into one of the great Northern lakes.
“What are you doing?” shouted Ros behind her. “You’ll kill us all!”
“Don't worry Ros,” she said. “I know what I'm doing. Take a seat. Relax.”
Ros continued to protest, but she ignored him as she veered the spacecraft towards the eye of the storm, the wind speed and air pressure rising and rising and rising.
Then she felt Ros tugging at her arm.
She shrugged him off. “It'll be okay, don't worry. The spaceship can take the strain. Trust me.”
Sure enough the spacecraft was soon hurtling through the gaping eye of the storm and into a dark blue murk of cloud hundreds and hundreds of miles deep.
They plunged deeper and deeper and deeper.
I need some light, she thought as the darkness enveloped them.
Suddenly everything was lit up in front of her as gigantic beams of light shot out from all over the spaceship. Before her spun a huge ball of liquid silver. The planet’s core, she realised. It glittered like a diamond as beams of light bounced off into the upper atmosphere.
She plunged headfirst into it, cutting through it like a knife, covering the spacecraft in an explosion of silver. For a brief second she could sense the silver tide rippling over the outside of the spaceship, before they shot out the other side, up and up into the thick blue soup and out again into the depths of space.
“What did you do that for?” shouted Ros as Vyleria stepped out of the controls. “Why didn’t you listen to me? You could have KILLED us! No spaceship has ever successfully navigated the core of a gas giant. ARE YOU STUPID?”
“I knew
what I was doing,” she said, cheeks purpling with anger.
“HOW? How did you know what you were doing?” barked Ros, his black eyes almost bulging out of his head. “Have you ever piloted one of these spaceships before? Did you design and build it?”
“It's hard to explain, but I just felt it Ros. When I was in there I knew I had complete control of the spacecraft and that there was never any danger.”
“That's not the point. And you know it. Anything could have happened. You are not the captain. You have no right to please yourself and do what you want.”
“Oh yeah, why shouldn't I?” she said. “I've told you already that I knew it was safe, that there was no danger. I don't know how I know, I just know. Why can't you believe me?”
“Because I don't know you! I don't know who you are and where you are from. To me you're just another...”
“ALIEN? Is that what I am Ros?”
“Yes, that's right you are Vyleria, and if I may say so you are a particularly arrogant one at that, and until I get to know you better I'm not going to blindly put my trust in you whenever you want to fly us through the centre of a gas giant or a black hole or whatever.”
“Look Ros, I'm not going to take us down the mouth of a black hole. I'm not that stupid, besides I wouldn't do anything to put the ship in danger. If you still don't believe me, why don't you step in and try yourself?
“Okay I will,” he said, as he clambered into the pilot's control.
Ros twisted and turned about the solar system, accelerating and breaking, climbing and diving. Though unlike Vyleria and Xylem, he left the weapons alone and didn’t try to fire them once. He was also similarly unimpressed with the blue gas giant, preferring instead to focus on some of the large grey moons that surrounded it, as well as one large rocky planet that orbited close to the star. Vyleria couldn’t understand why anyone would be focusing on these boring things instead of some of the planets and moons which were teeming with life.
After Ros stepped out of the controls, she was about to ask him about this when Xylem rasped “Controlsss. Back. NOW!”
“What do you mean?” asked Vyleria. “I'm not giving you anything. We can all share them and take turns piloting the spacecraft.”
“No. The ssship is sssafer with me.” he hissed, his teeth bared.
“Why is it safer with you?” she asked. “How are you a better pilot than any of us?”
“More practiccce. I’ve been here longer than you.”
“That’s maybe so, but I'm a very experienced pilot on my planet. I've flown thousands of hours in both atmospheric craft and in space planes; I'm better than you any day. Besides, I don’t trust you Xylem. I’ve just met you and you lied to us repeatedly about not being able to pilot the spaceship. The only way that we are going to get out of this mess is if we all have the power to control it.”
“I agree,” said Ros. “I trust YOU Xylem about as much as I trust HER. No one person can have complete control of this spaceship.”
“Obey me,” screeched Xylem, his tongue rattling, his eyes burning.
“No, we won’t obey you,” said Vyleria. “I’m not scared of you. You’re outvoted Xylem. Either we all control the spacecraft or nobody does. It’s the only way.”
A few seconds passed and then Xylem spoke again, his eyes as predatory as ever. “Sssure,” he hissed, “whatever you sssay. I only want to help.”
Somehow Vyleria didn't believe him.
Chapter 9: Space Rescue
Jack couldn't find Padget anywhere.
He searched the large banks of floating wardrobes and drawers, and under the piles of equipment ballooning up from the floor. He even ran out into the corridor and howled his name, running in and out of several other rooms. But there was no sign of him. He had completely disappeared. Where was he?
Then Jack remembered the last thing he saw before Padget vanished: the orange spectacles and the strange metal device that had appeared over his mouth and nose. Could it have been some kind of breathing apparatus? Something that would allow him to breathe in space?
Seeing if he could copy Padget, Jack closed his eyes and thought of a space helmet. A strange device instantly fastened itself around Jack’s nose and mouth, a pair of yellow glasses appearing over his eyes. Then there was a flash of blue light, accompanied by a rush of electricity and a tingling of his skin. His eyesight blurred for a moment, then re-focused.
At first everything seemed normal. He was still in the room and his vision didn’t seem any different. Then he looked at Grunt. Immediately a series of electronic displays popped-up, giving him all kinds of information about him such as his temperature, height, weight, his species (something called a Ba'doberan) and his distance from Jack. He could even zoom in on him and focus on one of the pigments of his skin or else one of the hairs sprouting from his ears. If he zoomed in even further he could peer inside his body and see his hearts and lungs beating and pumping away, his stomachs churning, as well as his orange blood vessels as they raced around his body like racing cars on a huge scalextric.
Aside from the electronic readout, Jack barely noticed anything different about the new equipment. His spacesuit was still the same and it looked nothing like what NASA astronauts would wear; the glasses felt completely weightless and his breathing was normal too.
How could Padget have gone out in space in this?
Jack was just about to think about going into outer space when he stopped himself. What am I thinking? He thought. I can't go out there. It’s going to be BIG and SCARY and TERRIFYING – and I'll be all alone. I don’t know what to do. I’m new at this. I can’t rescue Padget – Vyleria or Ros can do it – they will know what to do – they've been into space before – besides, it was Padget’s fault anyway – yes - he panicked – of course he did - he’s stupid – he’s, he’s...
He had to do something.
Vyleria and Ros weren’t there and Grunt could barely look after himself, never mind anyone else. There was no one else but him.
“Grunt,” he said nervously, hoping that he would somehow understand him. “I’ve got to go away now, but I will be back – don’t worry. Wait here.”
Grunt looked back at Jack with blank, expressionless eyes. He didn't know if he understood him or not, but he couldn't wait any longer. His heart hammering and his throat dry, he took a deep breath, put an image of space in his head and vanished.
The first things he noticed were the stars. There were millions upon millions of them - up, above, below and behind. It was like being in a huge arena, with him at the centre of it all. Then there was the huge gas giant, parked in the middle of it all like a big blue bus. It was mesmerising. He gazed at it for what felt like hours.
Then he looked down. He was stood on a gleaming sheet of silver.
He felt his body pull, rise a little, and then…
Nothing.
His boots were keeping him pinned to the spaceship. It was like they were magnetic somehow, though they didn't feel in the slightest bit heavy.
He could still breathe too, though there were no air tanks of any kind on his body. How long the invisible supply would last for he had no idea.
Next he tried to spacewalk. Slow at first, but then quicker and quicker.
It felt like he wasn’t walking in space at all. The mag boots made gravity normal somehow. If it wasn’t for the amphitheatre of stars he could have sworn that he was back inside the spaceship or even on Earth for that matter.
Jack looked around for Padget. He went all around the outside of the spaceship, even spacewalking upside down and checking the undercarriage. But there was no sign of him anywhere.
He was just about to give up and try to get back inside when he heard a voice screaming in his ears.
“Help!”
And again.
“Help! Help! Help!”
Over and over.
Jack frantically looked around, but he couldn't see Padget anywhere. Then he saw something up above, a wriggling glimmer in an oi
l-black sky. He would recognise that green skin anywhere. He was already several miles away and drifting yet further away.
What was he going to do?
“Padget, can you hear me?” he shouted.
“Yes! Yes!” squawked the terrified reply. “Please help me, I need help! Please.”
“Okay,” said Jack, “don’t panic.” Which made Jack feel stupid because surely this was a time to panic if ever there was one.
Jack looked at the distant ball tumbling away in front of him. Zooming in, he tried to see if there was anything Padget could grab hold of - an asteroid, a lump of space rock, (a space railing?) anything. But there was nothing for miles and miles around. What was he going to do? He had no space rope or rocket pack, and as far as he knew they still didn’t have control of the spacecraft which meant they couldn’t just go and rescue him. So for the first time in his life Jack did something impulsive.
He jumped.
He didn’t know why he did it at first. It just seemed better than standing there useless as Padget spun to his death.
His heart was speeding like a Formula One race car as he drifted on through the star-filled beyond.
It wasn’t for another ten minutes that Jack realised the huge mistake he'd made.
No matter how quick he seemed to be drifting through space, the distance between Padget and himself was always constant.
He’d forgotten about gravity. If only he'd paid more attention in physics class! Whatever speed Jack was travelling at, Padget was drifting through space at that speed too. He would never catch up to him. Not now. Not in a million years. They would continue at their present velocity for the rest of their lives and long, long after they were rotten space corpses.
Suddenly a series of oil-black shapes began to blot out the stars.
Asteroids.
Thousands of them.
Jack looked behind him. The spaceship was becoming an ever more distant speck and no help was coming.
He was all alone.
Padget was shouting and screaming and begging for his life now. It didn’t matter how much Jack tried to calm him down and tell him that everything would be alright. It was clear to Padget and the whole solar system that everything was not alright and that Jack couldn’t do a thing about it.
Jack Strong and the Red Giant Page 5