Space Plague (9 page)

“John, for the third time, wake up and report immediately to the medical wing!” Zepp said urgently.

John stirred, looking round in surprise. He wasn’t in his bed-pod, he was lying on the hard floor of a cell, still wearing the flightsuit from his trip to Zaleta Nebula. Scrabbling to sit upright, he shook his head in confusion. Suddenly, the previous night flooded back – he remembered that he and Mordant had been caught by the Examiner and locked in separate detention cells. He rose to his feet stiffly and rubbed his eyes. “What’s going on, Zepp? I’m in big trouble, right?”

Zepp turned the blaring alarm off and said, “Report immediately to the medical wing.”

“Is it bad news?”

“I have been instructed not to give you any further information,” Zepp replied. “I am sorry, John, but my orders come straight from the headmaster.”

Oh no, this doesn’t sound good.

John shook his head in an attempt to clear the fuzz of sleep. He ran a hand through his hair, feeling how knotted and tangled it was. “Has there been any improvement? Is Kaal still—”

“You are to report to medical wing
immediately
,” Zepp repeated. “As in
now
.”

“OK,” said John, rising to his feet. “I’m going.”

Getting to the medical wing was like walking through a ghost ship. John didn’t see a single being, not even a robot. His heart sank. He guessed that hours had passed since he had released the nebula’s microbes, but Hyperspace High was still deathly quiet. He had hoped that by now everyone would be on their way to recovery.

It didn’t work
, he thought, reminding himself that no tests had ever been done on the microbes; it was only a hypothesis. Most scientists didn’t believe there was a cure Zhaldarian Flu for it.

Maybe the microbes aren’t a cure at all. Maybe they just made everyone even sicker...
With that horrific thought, John picked up his pace and ran for the medical wing reception area.

Dr Kasaria was waiting for him, her arms folded and a stern look on her face. She still wasn’t looking very well, John noticed, but at least she was on her feet.

“I know you tricked me so that you could release that gas,” she said, as he stepped through the doors.

John gulped. “I’m... ugh... sorry, D-Dr Kasaria,” he stammered. “The headmaster said that the microbes might—”

“Come with me, please. Quickly,” the doctor said briskly. She stepped smartly towards the door leading to the private wards.

“Is it Kaal?” babbled John, hurrying to keep up. “Is he...? I mean, he’s still... ummm... he’s
alive
, isn’t he? The gas didn’t make him worse?”

“See for yourself,” said Dr Kasaria, opening the door to Kaal’s room.

For a moment, John felt as if the breath had been knocked out of him. His knees sagged. “Kaal?” he managed to croak.

“Hey,” Kaal replied, raising his hand weakly in greeting.

John blinked. His friend was sitting up in bed. His skin was a strange shade of turquoise and it still sagged, but the fungus had gone and his eyes were open, full of life. As John struggled not to cry with relief, Kaal smiled, his sharp fangs clean and white.

“I hear you saved my life,” Kaal rasped in a hoarse voice. “Thanks, John. I owe you one. Maybe I’ll take it a bit easier on you next time we play Boxogle.” He even managed a weak smile.

On legs that felt like they were made from jelly, John crossed the floor to his friend’s bedside. “You can repay me by getting better as fast as possible,” he said, grinning. “I was totally bored without you around. There was no one to play virtual-reality games with.”

John felt a hand on his shoulder and looked round into Dr Kasaria’s huge black eyes. They were sparkling with relief and joy. “I’m sorry I didn’t believe you, John,” she said solemnly. “The headmaster arrived shortly after you left and told me what you had done. We watched over the patients through the night.” Her voice became thick with emotion. “I’ve... I’ve never seen anything like it. It was incredible. I was sure I was going to start losing people last night and instead everyone started getting better. I wanted to wake you, so you could come and see what was happening, but the headmaster said you had earned your rest.”

“I would have liked to have been here,” said John.

“Well, you’re welcome to visit whenever you like,” replied the doctor with a warm smile. “Though it looks as though every patient will be discharged soon. For now, there is someone else who would like to see you.”

“Emmie!” John yelped, making for the door. He looked back over his shoulder. “Kaal, I’ll see you in a while.”

“You’re not leaving me here,” said Kaal. “Wait up, I’m coming with you.”

John stopped, looking from Dr Kasaria to his friend and back again. “Are you sure that’s a good idea?” he asked.

“It might be better if you stayed in bed,” murmured the doctor.

“I’ve been in bed for
days
!” Kaal snorted, swinging his legs over the side of the bed and stretching out his wings. “And I can’t imagine it’s far, Dr Kasaria.”

The doctor smiled again. “I suppose there’s no harm.”

Kaal was already crossing the room, pulling on a red and silver dressing gown.

A few seconds later, Kaal and John were leaning over Emmie’s bed.

“Hi,” John said gently, looking down into the Sillaran girl’s navy-blue eyes with a smile. “You’re looking better than you were the last time I saw you.”

Emmie tried to raise her head, but she was still too weak. With a sigh, she dropped back on the pillow. “Did I look as awful as I felt?” she whispered.

“You were a bit green,” John said. “Not as bad as Kaal, though. He looked like he was turning into a mushroom.” Emmie’s skin, he was pleased to see, had returned to its normal golden colour. She was still pale, but it was obvious that her health was returning.

“How can I ever thank you, John?” she asked, reaching for his hand. “How can
any
of us ever thank you?”

John looked embarrassed. “It wasn’t just me, you know,” he said. “I had help.”

“Who?” asked Kaal and Emmie together.

“Mordant Talliver,” replied John. Seeing the shock on his friends’ faces, he continued quickly, “He was pretty cool, actually. No one else would come, but he volunteered and helped me get to the Zaleta Nebula. Then, when Dr Kasaria wouldn’t let us release the gas, it was his plan to distract her. Without him, I’d have failed. Plus, he saved me from getting hit by a meteor. I kind of owe him my life.”

“You have got to be
kidding
me,” said Kaal. “We’re talking about the same Mordant Talliver, right? Black hair? Tentacles? Really bad attitude problem?”

John nodded. “Same Mordant Talliver,” he said. “We broke about fifty school rules and... oh rats, I’d totally forgotten about that. I think we’re going to be expelled.”

“After you found a cure for Zhaldarian Flu and saved the lives of hundreds of people?” said Emmie, raising an eyebrow. “I don’t think anyone’s going to be expelling you.”

“Maybe,” said John. “Ah, I just remembered. I’m sorry but I think I might have got your dad sacked, too, Emmie,”

“My
dad
?” squawked Emmie, this time managing to lift her head from the pillow. “How does my
dad
fit into all this?”

“Maybe I’d better start at the beginning,” John said thoughtfully.

“Yes, maybe you’d better,” Emmie replied.

* * *

Half an hour later, Emmie and Kaal were still asking questions.

“So you flew through an asteroid field in hyperspace?” Kaal said, shaking his head in disbelief. “That is the maddest thing I have ever heard. You could have got yourself killed.”

“What I still don’t understand,” Emmie cut in, “is why did Mordant Talliver, of all people, offer to help?” She paused for a moment, getting her breath back. “It doesn’t sound like him at all.”

“Maybe you should ask him,” said Kaal, sitting straighter and nodding towards the screen.

John and Emmie turned their heads. Mordant had arrived and was talking to Dr Kasaria in the reception area, an anxious look on his face. The doctor pointed through the screen towards the three friends.

A second later, Mordant Talliver stepped through the disinfectant field. His gazed fixed on the other end of the ward, he walked straight past Emmie’s bed, not even registering his classmates’ presence. John saw silent tears rolling down the half-Gargon’s cheeks as he rushed past.

Reaching Doctor Graal’s bed, Mordant came to a halt – then collapsed to his knees.

For a moment, nothing happened. Then, Doctor Graal’s black tentacles snaked out, wrapping him in a tight embrace.

“Oh, Mordant,” said the Gargon teacher, her voice thick with emotion. “You brave, brave boy. Dr Kasaria said you saved my life.”

Mordant wrapped his arms and tentacles around her in return, sobbing openly now. “You know I’d do anything for you, Mum,” he croaked.

“Hey, Riley!” shouted Lishtig, sprinting across the main hangar deck and weaving between milling students. His long purple ponytail streamed behind him. “
John
!
”

“What?” John said, breaking off his conversation.

“I just saw what you and Talliver did to Jegger’s Talios 720,” panted Lishtig, eyes wide. “It’s a complete mess. Have you seen him yet?”

John shook his head.

“Well, I’d think seriously about moving to another galaxy if I were you. He is totally going to beat you to
death
!”

“Thanks for reminding me, Lishtig,” John said sarcastically. “I’m probably going to be paying for the damage for the rest of my life.”

“You’re welcome,” replied Lishtig with a grin, ducking away and shouting, “Gobi! Gobi, where
are
you? You
have
to see this.”

John sighed. Sergeant Jegger was just one of the many things John now had to worry about. It had been three days since he had returned from the Zaleta Nebula and he still hadn’t seen the headmaster. None of the Examiners had bothered him, but John was still unsure if he was in trouble for breaking so many school rules. Not only that, but the exam results hadn’t been published, either. Every time John thought about the Hyperspace History exam, his stomach twisted.
What if they tell me I’m not coming back after the holidays?
he thought.
Or worse, what if I end up in prison for fifty years for breaking all those rules? I’ll never see Emmie and Kaal again...

“Enough frowning,” Kaal chuckled, punching him on the arm. “Look around,” he added, sweeping his wing in a half-circle. “You did this. You and Mordant Talliver, which – by the way – I still can’t believe.”

John looked around the main hangar deck, where gleaming silver shuttles were waiting to take students home for the holidays. The hangar teemed with beings of every shape and size, from every corner of the universe. As he watched, a creature that looked like a large, leafless bush on root-like legs ran past. A tiny girl with wings and four heads swooped after it, squeaking, “Come back here and say that to my faces, Frinnara!”

Here and there, a few students were leaning on their friends, still weak from their illness. But every single person who’d had the flu was on their way to a complete recovery.

“You worry about
everything
, strange Earthling,” said Emmie. “Cheer up. Kaal’s right, you saved hundreds of lives.”

“Sorry,” John said with a sheepish grin. “I just can’t help thinking what if I never see all this, and you guys, again.”

“Well, I’m pretty sure I mucked up Cosmic Languages,” Emmie said. “Apart from Space Flight, that was the only other exam I took, so if you failed, I failed, too.”

“That’s even worse,” said John gloomily, sticking his hands in his pockets. “What if—”

“
John
!
” both his friends shouted together.

He grinned. “Yeah, well, I suppose it could all turn out all right,” he admitted. “And I
am
really looking forward to seeing my mum and—”

“Dad!” Emmie’s scream interrupted him. Yelping with joy, she sprinted towards a TravelTube just as the door opened, revealing a tall, golden-skinned Sillaran with bluish-silver hair. He caught Emmie in his arms and hugged her as if he were going to squeeze the life out of her.

“Should we go and say hello?” asked Kaal, as Councillor Tarz put his daughter down, stared at her in delight, then picked her up and hugged her again.

“Good idea. I owe Emmie’s dad a massive thanks.”

“Cadet Riley, wait
right there
!” barked Jegger’s voice before John could even start walking.

“Oh no,” John muttered to himself. He took a deep breath and turned to face the sergeant.
Here we go.

“Sergeant Jegger,” he said. “Before you say anything, can I just say how sorry I am about your Talios. If there’s anything I can—”

“Stow it, cadet,” snapped Jegger. The flight instructor looked frail and was leaning heavily on a walking stick but, for the first time ever, John saw the teacher’s face break into a smile. Jegger clapped him on the shoulder. “I wanted to give you my thanks before you went off for the holidays. That was an amazing thing you did. Frankly, I think you deserve a medal. I’m proud of you. We are
all
proud of you.”

John stared into Jegger’s face, unable to believe his ears. “But... but... there’s
so
much damage,” he managed to squawk.

“Pah, the holidays get boring. Fixing it will keep me busy,” replied Jegger, his grey moustache twitching with humour. “Done me a favour, really. I’m never happier than when I’m tinkering around with her, and there was nothing left to do. Now I can start over again.”

“Is this the famous John Riley?” boomed a voice that sounded vaguely familiar. It seemed to be coming from his own knees. Curiously, he looked down, into the smiling face of a tiny, wart-covered being with long, pointed ears.

“Sorry, I nearly forgot,” said Jegger, as John struggled to place the voice. “Cadet Riley, this is a former student of mine – Cadet... sorry...
Captain
Lassco.”

That’s where I’ve heard the voice before!
John blinked. “Ugh... Captain... nice to m-meet you,” he stammered, not knowing quite what to say to the pilot who had tried to destroy him.

“I’ve been doing my research,” said Captain Lassco, holding out a hand for John to take. “On your planet, this is how they say ‘no hard feelings’, isn’t it?”

“It is,” replied John, reaching down to shake Captain Lassco’s hand.

“That was quite some chase,” said Lassco. “There were a couple of moments I thought I was going to bite my own lips off... going through that asteroid field in hyperspace... Well, let’s just say I won’t be doing that again in a hurry.”

“I didn’t expect you to stay with me,” John said with a smile.

“It was seriously impressive flying,” replied Lassco. “Dangerous, but impressive. If you ever want to join Starfighter Corps, let me know.”

“Wow... that... that would be
really
cool.”

“You’ve got a few more years training with me yet, cadet,” Jegger cut in gruffly. “For now, I think Councillor Tarz is trying to get your attention.”

“Thanks, Captain Lassco,” John said, turning away. “Have a great holiday, Sergeant Jegger.”

“Oh, I will,” said Jegger, pulling a sonic hammer from his pocket and holding it up with a wink.

“I’m sorry – I can’t keep quiet any longer,” bellowed Emmie’s father. His hand slapped John on the back, almost making his teeth rattle. “Good to see you again, son. I will never be able to express my gratitude to you, John.”

John winced. “I’m just sorry you had to lose your job, sir,” he said.

“Ha!” roared the tall Sillaran. “The president was furious. He called me every name in the galaxy and a few more I’ve never heard of. Sacked me on the spot and threatened to have me thrown in prison for treason.”

“I’m so sorry,” John choked out.

The councillor waved his hand. “Everything is fine,” he said airily. “When it became obvious that you had saved the lives of the students and staff on board Hyperspace High and proved that a cure for Zhaldarian Flu exists, the president was forced to reinstate me.” Peering down at John, he continued, “The Galactic Council and I are for ever in your debt.”

“I‘m just glad Emmie and Kaal are better again,” John said, blushing.

Councillor Tarz beamed at him. “Well, you know we already consider you part of the family. Please let me know if there’s ever anything I can do for you.”

As the councillor gave Emmie one last hug and began walking away to his own ship, there was a flash of light as the headmaster materialized in front of the friends.

“Kaal, Emmie,” said Lorem, his purple eyes twinkling, “so good to see you looking like yourselves again.”

John nodded in agreement, but couldn’t bring himself to look Lorem in the eye.

“But you don’t look very happy, John. What is troubling you?”

“It’s, well... er... all those rules I broke, sir,” John mumbled.

Lorem raised an eyebrow. “One of the benefits of being the headmaster,” he said with a chuckle, “is that I have access to the Examiners’ central databank. The records of your...
adventures,
have been wiped, though the rest of us will never forget what we owe you.”

Exhaling a huge sigh, John felt his shoulders drop with relief. But he quickly remembered that this wasn’t the last of his problems. John took a deep breath and looked up into the headmaster’s face. “What about the exam results, sir?” he asked. “When do we find out if we passed?”

“In the circumstances, it would be unfair to judge any students by their exam results this term,” Lorem replied. “They will not be entered on your records.”

“You mean, we’re all coming back next term?” gasped John.

“Oh, yes,” replied the headmaster. “
Definitely
.”

Kaal and Emmie beamed from ear to ear, and John knew that the grin on his own face was just as wide.

“If you’ll excuse us,” Lorem said to Kaal and Emmie, “I’d like a word with John and Mordant in private. I won’t keep them long.”

John nodded a greeting to Mordant Talliver as the headmaster beckoned him over. But the half-Gargon boy made no sign that he had noticed.

At his shoulder, G-Vez drawled, “Keep your distance from young Master Talliver, Earthling. He does not wish to—”

“Shut up, G-Vez, or I’ll melt you down for scrap,” ordered Mordant, stopping beside John and returning the nod at last.

Lorem looked first into John’s face and then into Mordant’s. “I wanted to add my own thanks to those of everyone else on the ship,” he said gravely. “Because of your bravery, everyone has survived. I know that neither of you finds it easy to get along, but I hope that you’ll take some time to reflect on what might have happened if you had not worked together.”

The two boys glanced at each other.

“In the meantime, I am enormously proud of you both. Thank you again, and I look forward to seeing you both back here next term.”

“Zepp deserves some thanks, too,” said John. “We would never have been able to leave the ship if it weren’t for him. Plus, the Examiners would still have us in a detention room.”

“You’re welcome, friend,” said Zepp’s voice.

“Now you’ll have to excuse me, I have a few more goodbyes to say,” said Lorem, disappearing in a flash of light.

“Mordant!” called Doctor Graal. “Come and say goodbye before you go to your father’s.”

“Just a minute, Mum!” Mordant shouted over his shoulder. Turning back to John, he put out a tentacle. “Maybe he’s right,” he said, tilting his head towards the headmaster who was now laughing in the middle of another group of students.

“What, about it not being easy working together?”

A smile flickered across Mordant’s face. “No, about what might have happened if we hadn’t, idiot.”

John took hold of Mordant’s tentacle and shook it. “Why didn’t you tell anyone Doctor Graal was your mother?” he asked.

Mordant shrugged. “Didn’t want everyone thinking I was top of the class just because my mum’s the teacher,” he said.

At that moment, Doctor Graal appeared beside him. “Come on, darling boy; you can’t keep me waiting all day,” slobbered Doctor Graal, wrapping her tentacles around her son and pulling him into a hug.

“Aww,
Muuum
. You’re embarrassing me.”

“Um... John, Ms Vartexia’s trying to get everyone on board shuttle thirty-six,” Kaal interrupted, appearing with Emmie and nudging John. “That’s us.”

“You know what she’s like,” said Emmie. “She’s already got her ThinScreen out, making notes on anyone who’s late.”

A few seconds later, John bounded up the steps into the shuttle, falling into a seat between his friends. Something hit him on the head as his safety harness fastened around him. “Have a Dumpod Candy, John!” shouted Lishtig.

“There will be no food fights aboard this shuttle,” announced Ms Vartexia sternly, climbing the steps. “No food fights, no Bubble Bombs, no Shuttle Surfing, no...” Her voice was drowned out by loud groans.

“All shuttles,” said Zepp’s voice loudly, “prepare for departure.”

John felt a tremor run through the shuttle as the engines started. Ahead, the massive bay doors opened out to space.

“So, good term?”

John turned to see Kaal grinning at him.

“Not bad,” replied Emmie from John’s other side. “But I thought there was too much Hyperspace History, Galactic Geography, Cosmic Languages, and well... you get the idea.”

Laughing, John said, “So, you didn’t mind almost getting blown up on Zirion Beta, fighting Subo warriors—”

Emmie’s nose wrinkled. “I would much rather get blown up
and
fight a Subo than have double Cosmic Languages,” she interrupted, her face deadly serious. “How about you, Kaal?”

“It
was
pretty exciting,” said Kaal. “But I’m looking forward to a nice quiet term when we get back.”

“Shuttle thirty-six launch,” said Zepp.

When we get back
, John thought, as the shuttle slammed into space. While G-force pushed him back in his seat, a smile spread across John’s face. For the past few days, he hadn’t dared hope that he might be returning to Hyperspace High. Glancing over his shoulder, he watched as its vast, elegant white shape disappeared behind him. He was already bursting with excitement at the thought of seeing his parents after a whole term away, but the holidays would be even better knowing that he would be returning to Hyperspace High after all.

His thoughts were interrupted by a shout from the row behind. Lishtig was floating down the shuttle’s cabin. “Zero-G war!” the purple-haired boy bellowed.

“Lishtig ar Steero,” snapped Ms Vartexia. “I
said
—”

“You didn’t say no Zero-G war,” said Lishtig, sounding disappointed. “Please, Ms Vartexia. Shuttle flights are
so
boring. Just for a few minutes.”

The Elvian teacher sighed. “All right, five minutes of Zero-G war. I will read my ThinScreen quietly and pretend I can’t hear you.”