The Last Starfighter Read Free Page A

waving and bobbing wildly.
    After all, it wasn’t his quarter at stake.
    “Get ’em, Alex, get ’em!”
    Get ’em Alex did efficiently, professionally, avoiding every attack on his own vessel while methodically eliminating everything the game could throw at him, quietly reveling in the simulated destruction and fully confident of his skills.
    Louis edged closer and closer to the machine, drawn by the sights on the screen. His small face was aglow with delight. Alex was so good it was more fun to watch him than to play yourself. Well, almost. So much pleasure, and all for a quarter. Being good helped, though. Somehow the game wasn’t as much fun to play when it only lasted a minute or so.
    “Blam, blam, blam!”
    “Cool the sound effects, Louis. I can’t hear the machine. And move your head, will you?”
    Once more the screen showed him the command ship. It loomed huge on the battle screen. He tried a different evasion pattern this time, hoping to avoid the squadrons of enveloping fighters that had shot him down the last time. It didn’t work. He was dead again.
    Dying a lot this morning, he thought.
    “Nuts!” He gave the console a whack before jamming both hands into his pants pockets. “Not fast enough. I should’ve had it that time.”
    A new voice chimed in. Both boys turned to see Otis staring at the screen. “Heard you almost hit eight hundred thousand, Alex.”
    “That was yesterday. Would’ve too, if Louis hadn’t bumped my hand.”
    “Did not! Wow!” Louis pointed toward the screen. “Seven hunnert and . . . and . . .” His face wrinkled up in confusion. The number was beyond him.
    Alex eyed the screen with careful indifference. “Seven hundred eighty-two thousand. Almost as good as last night.”
    “Yeah, and I didn’t hit your hand this time, neither,” Louis shot back.
    “No, but you stuck your fat head in my way.”
    “Did not!”
    “I heard you were in the millions last week on Stargate in town,” Otis said.
    Alex shrugged, concealing the pride he took in his accomplishment. “Yeah, but lots of guys do that around the country. Stargate’s easy compared to Starfighter.” He added casually, “Though I haven’t heard of anybody else breaking half a million besides me.”
    “Maybe you’d win a national contest if they held one.”
    “I guess I might have a chance. But only the big game companies run contests like that. Atari, Sega, Nintendo, Williams. I never heard of the company that makes this Starfighter game. Must be some new outfit.”
    “Maybe so. Maybe they will have a contest if they get big enough.”
    “Yeah. You going to pay my way to it, Otis?”
    The older man chuckled. “Not on my social security I’m not, Alex. Tell you what, though. You keep practicing and if a Starfighter contest ever comes up, we’ll see about gettin’ you to it.”
    Alex grinned. “It’s a deal.”
    Otis nodded to his right. “Looks like somebody lookin’ for you, Alex.”
    He turned, saw Maggie exiting the side gate carrying a picnic basket, towels and a small ice chest. The chest was sweating, suggesting inviting contents. At the same time a new pickup pulled in off the highway, rolled into the parking lot in front of the store. It was filled with kids Alex’s own age, all laughing and joking while fighting not to spill over the tailgate.
    “Come on, Alex, they’re here!” Maggie broke into a trot, managing her awkward burden easily as she headed for the truck.
    For an instant Alex wondered what the hell she was talking about. Then memories from real life came flooding in.
    “Silver Lake! The picnic. I forgot.” He started to run after Maggie.
    “Hey, Alex.” Louis pointed at the game. “You won a free credit.”
    “What about it?”
    “You just gonna waste it?”
    Alex concealed a smile. The greed was as bright on his little brother’s face as a thousand-watt halogen lamp. He deepened his voice, trying to imitate the game.
    “Starfighter Alex Rogan requesting