The Shrinking Race Read Free Page B

about the future of Earth.
    At that moment, the sound of grinding metal pierced the air.
    ER-RRRRRRRRRR!
    It sounded like a rusty starship changing gears.
    â€˜Put me down!’ Blutor said quickly. ‘We must hide!’
    Blutor and the other Baltians disappeared through their silver walls. Within seconds, the city was deserted.
    ER-RRRRRRRRRR!
    â€˜It’s getting louder!’ yelled Finbar, covering his ears. ‘Run!’
    Kip thought ahead for a moment. It was a vital Space Scout skill. If we run into the buildings, we might crush a Baltian , he thought. Then they’ll never want to share their planet with us.
    It was a risk Kip couldn’t take. They had to find somewhere else to hide.
    â€˜The sugarmelon field!’ Kip yelled.
    â€˜Look!’ said Finbar, as they ran. He’d spotted a green shape in the sky. It was heading straight for them!
    The shape got closer. Kip saw it had a beak and giant wings.
    â€˜That’s too heavy to be a bird,’ Finbar said. ‘See how it swoops when it’s flying?’
    â€˜It’s metal,’ Kip yelled, noticing the creature’s body glinting in the sun. ‘It’s some kind of winged robot!’
    The robot circled directly overhead. Its screech was ear-splitting and there were dagger-sharp claws on its feet.
    Kip dragged Finbar towards him. Flicking on his SpaceCuff, Kip engaged the InstaShield mode. Lines of powerful electrical currents sprang from the Space-Cuff and arced above Kip and Finbar.

    SpaceCuff InstaShield Mode
    In nanoseconds, they were safe inside a bubble of electrical mesh. Just in time!
    The winged robot dived down. It slammed into the electrical bubble. Sparks exploded.
    ZZZZTT!!!
    A burnt metallic smell filled the air. The winged robot crowed miserably. It flew off, spewing smoke.
    When the sky was clear, Kip switched off the InstaShield. Across the field, the Baltians reappeared through their liquid-metal walls.
    â€˜That’s your second rescue in one day,’ said a voice behind them. It was Blutor.
    â€˜What was that thing?’ Kip asked him.
    â€˜An Aerobot. When we were big, we built them to hunt small creatures known as steak mice,’ Blutor explained. ‘And we farmed vegetables ourselves.’
    â€˜You stopped hunting and farming when the sugarmelon craze hit,’ Finbar guessed.
    A troubled look crossed Kip’s face. ‘And when your people began to shrink, the Aerobots started hunting you!’
    Blutor nodded. ‘We needed to reprogram them,’ he said. ‘But we couldn’t. Our people are simply too small.’
    Unstoppable flying attack-robots. It sounded like a nightmare!

CHAPTER 7
    Kip’s mind turned all this over. If Cobalt was going to be Earth 2, he would have to find a way to deprogram the Aerobots.
    Before he could work out how, something hit his helmet with a crack.
    Colours exploded around Kip’s head. He guessed what was happening. MoNa had fired him a NewsBomb!
    A NewsBomb was a small, round ball with compressed news data inside. It broke open on impact, releasing a 3D holographic broadcast from Earth. It was like standing inside a TV.

    Back on Earth, WorldCorp had called a Space Scout meeting for all those not on missions.
    Now Kip found himself standing inside a live a holographic version of the meeting!
    Space Scout meetings almost never happen , Kip thought. What’s going on?
    A holographic WorldCorp rep was talking. ‘Attention, Space Scouts! You’ve probably heard about Candy Montenegro’s promising discovery in the Far West Quarter. WorldCorp’s scientists have nearly finished studying her plant samples from the Crimson Planet. Nothing is confirmed, but signs indicate that Candy has discovered Earth 2.’
    The hologram faded, leaving Kip white-faced.
    Finbar came over, still holding Blutor.
    â€˜Nothing’s final,’ Finbar reminded Kip. ‘You can’t give up until you see the shield in