The Shrinking Race Read Free Page A

horror-movie monster next to all the tiny Baltians.
    Lucky Blutor’s riding on Finbar’s shoulder. Otherwise, the Baltians would be terrified of us , Kip thought.
    â€˜There’s the accident,’ said Finbar, spotting it with his sharp wolf eyesight.
    He pointed to a crowd of tiny blue figures gathered around an open drain. The drain hole was no wider than Kip’s backpack. But to the tiny Baltians, it was a bottomless pit.
    Finbar gently put down Blutor and the little blue girl.
    â€˜Fellow Baltians,’ Blutor said. ‘Our Earthling friends are here to help with the rescue.’ The crowd erupted in cheers and clapping.
    Cobalt’s hopes are riding on us, thought Kip. As if finding a new planet for Earth wasn’t enough!
    Kip mentally ran through the contents of his backpack. He had safety gear like ropes and harnesses with him, of course. But the ropes would be too big for the Baltian to grab a hold of.
    As he thought about what to do, Kip spun the glowing meteorite chip he wore around his neck. It hung from a chain made of extra-strength carbon fibre.
    Kip was a master at making do with what he had. He prided himself on coming up with solutions on the spot, even when he didn’t have the right gear.
    With his gloved hands, Kip unclipped the chain around his neck and slipped the chip into his pocket.
    He bent close to the drain. It doesn’t look too deep , Kip thought. Hopefully this chain will be long enough to reach the bottom.
    Kip knelt. The nearby Baltians scattered away from Kip’s giant feet.
    Slowly, he fed the chain into the drain.
    A crowd gathered, munching on sugarmelons. They watched as Kip fed the entire chain down the drain.
    Doubt crept into Kip’s mind.Would the chain be long enough? Could the Baltian take hold of the end?
    He waited. Nothing.
    Back in Space Scout training, Kip topped the class in Crisis Handling. The most important thing he learnt was:

    The worst thing I can do now is doubt myself , he decided. I’ll never beat the other Space Scouts to the Shield of Honour that way.
    Just then, Kip felt something tug on the chain! But it was so soft that Kip wondered if he’d imagined it.
    â€˜I’ll pull you up,’ Kip whispered. He didn’t want to scare the Baltian down the drain with his booming voice.
    Gently, Kip pulled up the chain.
    The crowd watched. Everyone held their breath.
    Kip knew they were all thinking the same thing.
    Will the missing Baltian be hanging on the other end?

CHAPTER 6
    Kip pulled the chain out of the drain. And clinging tightly to it was the missing Baltian!
    Kip held out a finger. The Baltian grabbed on. Carefully, Kip put the tiny blue boy down on the ground.
    As Kip stood up, he saw two blue people run over to the muddy Baltian.They hugged him, crying.
    That must be his mum and dad, Kip thought. Funny to think that even little blue aliens have parents.
    On the edge of the crowd, Blutor signalled to Finbar to lift him up.
    Blutor spoke gravely to Kip and Finbar. ‘If only all rescue missions were this successful,’ he said, shaking his head. ‘We’ve lost too many people to accidents.’
    Kip paused, wondering how to answer. Blutor and his people were obviously smart. Kip didn’t want to offend them.
    â€˜Have you thought of building smaller drains?’ Kip asked politely.
    â€˜Our problem is more difficult than drains,’ Blutor said sadly.
    Kip shot a glance at Finbar. Neither knew what might come next.
    â€˜Over the last two years,’ Blutor went on, ‘our people have shrunk from your height to the size we are now.’
    â€˜What?’ Kip said, shocked. ‘How?’
    He’d heard about all kinds of strange planets from other Space Scouts. But no-one had ever mentioned a shrinking alien race!
    â€˜We cannot explain it,’ said Blutor, rubbing his blue chin.
    He’s worried about the future of his people, Kip thought. Just like I’m worried