Game On: Alien Space Adventure
Page 27
Parker was right. But that was in a video game. “How—?”
The emperor’s face tightened. “I know it is not fair to you, Jayden, the ultimate Killgeek. You and the others have been through much.” He paused. “I have asked you here today because I need your help to muster the Spring Tide Masons once again.”
“You want us to get them back together?” Parker asked.
“But why?” Jayden asked before the emperor could answer Parker. “I don’t get how a bunch of teenagers could do better than the Atilla, the Zepar, and the new and improved Space Command fighting force.”
The emperor clapped his hands twice. They turned to the front doors as the crow flew upward again. It circled the room as a boy walked through the large doors.
The boy appeared to be about twelve years old, with dark skin and curly black hair. But it was the boy’s large, enchanting sapphire eyes on his otherwise petite, big-cheeked face that captured Jayden’s attention. The boy faced the throne and lowered his head to acknowledge the emperor. Then, he turned toward Jayden and bowed at the waist.
The raven flew through the doors to the outside.
The emperor lowered his voice. “I introduce you to Magnetar, son of Thuban.” The emperor clapped three times.
The doors shut.
A man in red tights ran over to the four of them. He handed out new earplugs.
“Please replace your old ones with these,” the emperor said. “Software upgrade.”
Jayden pushed the release button on the plugs, then took out the old ones and replaced them with the new ones. Both new plugs planted themselves softly into his ear canals.
“Thank you, great emperor,” the strange boy said.
Magnetar turned to Jayden and the others. His bright eyes glowed from his dark brown face. “I am from a cluster of galaxies your Earth calls Abell 2029. In total, it is eighty-one times larger than your Milky Way. The hundred trillion stars that comprise the home of my people are 315 megaparsecs from Earth in the constellation of Virgo.”
Jayden nodded as if he knew where that was located, though he didn’t have a clue. “It’s nice to meet you, Magnetar,” he said. “Are you helping the emperor?”
“I will be helping you,” he replied. “My people have been watching you for some time now, Jayden Banks.”
“Watching me?”
“We monitor all play on World Corp games. But more important, we have been watching your strategic play—very creative. I must say, your Gallimimus eggs contained a wide variety of colorful code.”
Jayden and Parker both tilted their heads simultaneously.
“I apologize, a minor translation glitch,” Magnetar said, touching his earplug and pushing a slide switch.
“The Easter eggs your clan has created are, well, very impressive.”
Jayden smirked at Parker. “Oh yeah,” he whispered, and followed up with a casual fist bump.
Nora rolled her eyes.
“My people created the red tablet you carry. Once you had been chosen, we arranged for your father to receive the tablet as an award.”
Jayden’s eyes widened. He searched the emperor’s face.
“The tablet measures you. You have a special energy, my young friend,” Ruchbah9 whispered. “Energy you must cultivate and grow.”
Jayden’s red tablet vibrated as if it were a cell phone ringing. He ignored it and recalled the raven’s knowing eyes from the video game. The tablet vibrated again.
“If we do nothing,” Magnetar said, “our entire universe will collapse into ‘the space between the space’ and extinguish back into the void of the multiverse. All life forms in our universe will perish as the bubble membrane of the ancient universe implodes. This would, of course, include you and your family, my friend.
Everyone will die.”
“We need your help again, Killgeek,” the emperor said, locking eyes with Jayden.
Getting involved in another space battle wasn’t part of Jayden’s plan. His life on Lorcan’s planet was finally boring again, and he loved it.
“We are all in danger,” Rhea2 said. “Your home world, Earth, is in danger too.”
Jayden took a moment before speaking. “Can the four of us stay together?” he asked.
“Yes, of course,” the emperor replied.
“Knifetango, Zebraguts, and BBgun too?”
“Yes, yes. Not a problem.”
Jayden stared at Nora, then Parker, then at Cleo, probing each of their faces.
They nodded.
He turned his attention to Magnetar, then to the emperor.
“You will do it?” the emperor asked Jayden.
The red tablet vibrated again. This time Jayden glanced at its display. The familiar pixie face of the energy being filled the screen, her marigold-flower irises glowing. Two wings fluttered in a hummingbird-like blur. It looked to Jayden as if she were flying inside the tablet.
The pixie girl smiled and winked.
Jayden grinned back at her, then nodded to the emperor.
“Game on!”
###
Dear Reader,
Thank you for reading! If you enjoyed this book, please take a moment to write a quick review. CLICK HERE.
Think of each review as neutron fuel that will propel this series into more books.
Thank you for reading! ~R.E. Rowe
The Adventures of Jayden Banks and the Jameson Twins
More Adventures Coming Soon
About the Author
When R.E. Rowe isn't dreaming, you’ll find him trying to discover why, figuring out how, uncovering ancient mysteries, searching for a grand unified theory of everything, exploring the universe, writing a crazy fun middle grade or young adult novel, reading a novel, helping a business innovate, inventing something seriously cool, or learning something super interesting. He enjoys participating in science camps and talking to groups about creative topics such as the process of inventing, building worlds for science fiction and fantasy stories, and importance of dreaming big.
Connect with R.E. Rowe
Email at: rick@rickrowe.com
Author’s website: http://rickrowe.com/adventures-jayden-banks-jameson-twins/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/RickERowe
Follow the author on Twitter: @rickerowe
Goodreads: Author R.E. Rowe
Other books by R.E. Rowe
The Reincarnation Young Adult Series
Voices Copyright 2015 by R.E. Rowe, Book 1
Whispers Copyright 2015 by R.E. Rowe, Book 2
Acknowledgements
Thank you to all my amazing writer friends for offering suggestions, support and critiques. Thanks to the professional editors and writing teachers I've worked with who continue to teach me the art of transforming neurons carrying story ideas into digital manuscripts.
A big thank you to all the amazing authors, podcasters, literary agents, and educators who spend time teaching writers and sharing lessons learned. I've been touched by many and promise to pay it forward as you all continue to do.
A special thank you to my author friends Jenny MacKay (www.jennymackay.com) and U.K author Vanessa Curtis (http://www.curtisliterary.co.uk) for sharing their knowledge, experience and taking the time to work with me.
Last, but not least, thank you to all the readers who take the time to comment and review the novels they enjoy.
Taking the time to post even a one or two sentence review motivates us to write more, dig deeper and craft seriously cool stories. As Jayden Banks would say, "Game On!"
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