werenât for their mission to rescue the kidnapped prince, Peri could have raced along the shifting astrophalt all day. It was just like playing a 3-D game, except that the web of ice crystals over the 360-monitor made it harder to see where he was going. The lane ahead looked clear, so Peri pulled the throttle to maximum.
âNext stop, Xion!â he shouted as the
Phoenix
burst forward.
The com-unit crackled into life with the sound of chattering teeth. âWill you ⦠space-monkeys ⦠turn up the ⦠hea-hea-heating,â the Meigwor stuttered. âIâm f-f-f-f-free-eezing down here.â
Blue tears trickled down Dieselâs cheeks all over the gunnery station as he shook with laughter.
âSorry, Otto,â Peri replied, trying to ignore Diesel. He spun the thermo-dial back and saw his Expedition Wear change color again.
Outside, an asteroid-size superneon sign pointed to a way station. Behind the sign, an enormous transparent dome floated in the air. An instant translation appeared on screen.
ââFood! Souvenirs! Lizard wrestling!âI wish we had time to check
that
out,â Peri said.
Shhhhuurpt.
The door to the bridge opened as Otto shuffled in.
Diesel leaned over and whispered, âIs it me or has he shrunk?â
Peri glanced over his shoulder. Ottoâs arms and neck did seem shorter.
âCloak the ship!â Otto pushed Peri aside and stabbed at the control panel.A map of the space highway appeared on the monitor. âExit 1427-A7!â
Peri activated the cloak and navigated to the exit ramp. The astrophalt ended abruptly above a pulsing blue vortex big enough only for a single vessel.
âLocal transport vortex detected,â the ship announced. âHold tight.â
Before Peri could ask if they needed superluminal speed, the vortex spat the
Phoenix
out. They were hovering over a barren landscape. Small twisters of orange dust scoured the pockmarked ground. InfoBoxes popped up on the monitor, arrows scattered everywhere:
Collapsed CO 2 mine, toxic waterhole, mining-lice infestation.
Peri stared at the swirling pools of putrid green and snotty-brown liquid. âNo wonder they donât respect anyone elseâs planet. Look at those poisonous swamps.â
âIgnore them!â Otto said. âAim for the smog.â
Peri steered the
Phoenix
over a huge crater filled with machines spewing rocks into the air. He then headed for a skyline that appeared to be wrapped in smog. In the center of the smoking chimneys and the concrete-block industrial buildings stood a sprawling marble palace.
âThe Xion capital!â Otto said. âDepressing, isnât it? The prince is in that palace. Head to that abandoned factory! We can land safely in there!â
Peri guided the
Phoenix
into the hollow shell of the building that Otto had pointed to. He was careful to avoid the metal struts holding up the crumbling brick walls. A single knock would bring the whole building down.
The rubble floor shifted under the shipâs weight, but the landing gear automaticallyadjusted. Peri looked around and realized why Otto had chosen the spot. The walls surrounding the
Phoenix
would keep it hidden from alien eyes.
âLetâs go!â Otto ordered. âWeâve wasted enough time. Letâs go get the prince.â
âWait a second.â Peri studied the blinking lights of the atmospheric sensors. âDiesel, adjust your oxy-modifiers to Carbon-4 Mode. Xion seems to be a carbon-rich planet.â
Peri pressed a nano-dial surgically implanted between his ribs. It beeped four times. His lungs twitched as if he needed to cough, then they expanded in his chest.
âWhat was that?!â Otto asked.
âEvery IF cadet has a hydrogen bubble in their lungs,â Diesel replied, coughing as his lungs adjusted. âThe oxy-modifier allows us to breathe in any atmosphere in the universe.â
âOtherwise weâd
âNext stop, Xion!â he shouted as the
Phoenix
burst forward.
The com-unit crackled into life with the sound of chattering teeth. âWill you ⦠space-monkeys ⦠turn up the ⦠hea-hea-heating,â the Meigwor stuttered. âIâm f-f-f-f-free-eezing down here.â
Blue tears trickled down Dieselâs cheeks all over the gunnery station as he shook with laughter.
âSorry, Otto,â Peri replied, trying to ignore Diesel. He spun the thermo-dial back and saw his Expedition Wear change color again.
Outside, an asteroid-size superneon sign pointed to a way station. Behind the sign, an enormous transparent dome floated in the air. An instant translation appeared on screen.
ââFood! Souvenirs! Lizard wrestling!âI wish we had time to check
that
out,â Peri said.
Shhhhuurpt.
The door to the bridge opened as Otto shuffled in.
Diesel leaned over and whispered, âIs it me or has he shrunk?â
Peri glanced over his shoulder. Ottoâs arms and neck did seem shorter.
âCloak the ship!â Otto pushed Peri aside and stabbed at the control panel.A map of the space highway appeared on the monitor. âExit 1427-A7!â
Peri activated the cloak and navigated to the exit ramp. The astrophalt ended abruptly above a pulsing blue vortex big enough only for a single vessel.
âLocal transport vortex detected,â the ship announced. âHold tight.â
Before Peri could ask if they needed superluminal speed, the vortex spat the
Phoenix
out. They were hovering over a barren landscape. Small twisters of orange dust scoured the pockmarked ground. InfoBoxes popped up on the monitor, arrows scattered everywhere:
Collapsed CO 2 mine, toxic waterhole, mining-lice infestation.
Peri stared at the swirling pools of putrid green and snotty-brown liquid. âNo wonder they donât respect anyone elseâs planet. Look at those poisonous swamps.â
âIgnore them!â Otto said. âAim for the smog.â
Peri steered the
Phoenix
over a huge crater filled with machines spewing rocks into the air. He then headed for a skyline that appeared to be wrapped in smog. In the center of the smoking chimneys and the concrete-block industrial buildings stood a sprawling marble palace.
âThe Xion capital!â Otto said. âDepressing, isnât it? The prince is in that palace. Head to that abandoned factory! We can land safely in there!â
Peri guided the
Phoenix
into the hollow shell of the building that Otto had pointed to. He was careful to avoid the metal struts holding up the crumbling brick walls. A single knock would bring the whole building down.
The rubble floor shifted under the shipâs weight, but the landing gear automaticallyadjusted. Peri looked around and realized why Otto had chosen the spot. The walls surrounding the
Phoenix
would keep it hidden from alien eyes.
âLetâs go!â Otto ordered. âWeâve wasted enough time. Letâs go get the prince.â
âWait a second.â Peri studied the blinking lights of the atmospheric sensors. âDiesel, adjust your oxy-modifiers to Carbon-4 Mode. Xion seems to be a carbon-rich planet.â
Peri pressed a nano-dial surgically implanted between his ribs. It beeped four times. His lungs twitched as if he needed to cough, then they expanded in his chest.
âWhat was that?!â Otto asked.
âEvery IF cadet has a hydrogen bubble in their lungs,â Diesel replied, coughing as his lungs adjusted. âThe oxy-modifier allows us to breathe in any atmosphere in the universe.â
âOtherwise weâd