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Authors: Max Chase

BOOK: Evil Star

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‘Well, goodbye, then,’ Anurack said.

Peri and Selene waved as Anurack walked down the ramp and the Koringers came forward to greet him.

‘Welcome home, Anurack. Did you come back via the Horsehead Nebula?’

‘No,’ said Anurack, shaking all four of his heads. ‘We used the Intergalactic Highway as far as Rigel, where we turned left on to the hyperspace bypass.’

‘You should have gone via the Arcturan Wormhole,’ another Koringer said, his heads frowning. There were so many heads now, Peri lost track of who was who. ‘That’s a quicker way. And there are more interesting things to see . . .’

Peri sent another telepathic order and the
Phoenix
’s wall closed, blocking the Koringers from view.

Selene punched the air. ‘I’m glad that’s over!’

Diesel emerged from hiding. ‘Thank the Spirit of the Universe – Anurack’s finally gone!’ Diesel kicked his legs in the air for joy.

There was a light tap, and the
Phoenix
’s wall opened again silently. Anurack was standing at the end of the ramp.

Diesel, who had his back to the wall, carried on his high-kicking dance, chanting, ‘He’s gone, gone,
gone
!’

Two of Anurack’s heads coughed. Diesel turned around and stopped laughing. His strip of hair turned pink with embarrassment.

There was an awkward silence.

‘Erm, Diesel was just . . .’ Peri faltered for a moment, before his bionic circuits buzzed with an idea. ‘Performing a traditional Martian farewell!’

‘I’m acquainted with the customs of Mars,’ one of Anurack’s heads said, while the other three frowned. ‘And I’m not aware of any such dance.’

‘We do it all the time,’ Diesel said. ‘But only when the visitor has left . . . that’s why you wouldn’t have seen it.’

Three of Anurack’s faces smiled. The fourth said, ‘Ah, that explains it. An interesting fact to add to my collection! Well, I just forgot my hoverbag.’ He beckoned, and the hoverbag rose up and floated along beside him as he exited once more.

Peri closed the wall. ‘Let’s get out of here before he comes back!’

Soon the
Phoenix
was cruising through outer space.

Peri spoke into the com-system. ‘Bridge to Otto – the coast is now clear.’

A section of wall slid open and Otto came slouching on to the Bridge. He had had to hide while Anurack was on board because he was still technically a stowaway.

‘Has he gone?’ Otto said. ‘It’s been really boring cooped up in my quarters all this time.’

‘Not as boring as being with Anurack!’ Selene said.

‘What’s that?’ Otto pointed with his long black tongue at the timer ticking down on the Mission Update screen. It now said,
119 hours and 47 minutes
.

‘That’s the countdown until our next mission,’ Peri explained. ‘We have to get back to the IF Space Station before it reaches zero or General Pegg will give our next mission to someone else.’

‘Should we go Superluminal?’ Diesel asked.

‘No need, it’s a waste of energy,’ Peri said. ‘We’ve got plenty of time, even if we travel at cruising speed.’

‘We’d better!’ Diesel said. ‘I’m looking forward to another mission.’

‘I hope I don’t have to hide out on this one,’ Otto grumbled. ‘It’s about time I got the chance to use my skills.’

‘You haven’t got any skills,’ Diesel said.

‘Oh, haven’t I?’ Otto boomed. ‘Well, let me tell you, you Martian misfit . . .’ He hissed and uncoiled one of his long arms, twirling it above his head.

Diesel squared up to him, jutting his chin out and clenching his fists.

‘Ssshh!’ Peri said, holding up his hand. ‘What’s that noise?’

Strange, low, rhythmic knocking sounds filled the Bridge.

Peri closed his eyes and tuned into the
Phoenix
’s computer. He felt an electric tingling as the noises gradually began to make sense. Peri had never learned Morse code, but the
Phoenix
knew it.

Dot dot dot dash dash dash dot dot dot . . .

‘It’s an SOS!’ Peri said. ‘Someone’s calling for help!’

Bloomsbury Publishing, London, New Delhi, New York and Sydney

First published in Great Britain in August 2012 by Bloomsbury Publishing Plc

This electronic edition published in 2012 by Bloomsbury Publishing Plc

50 Bedford Square, London, WC1B 3DP

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