Space Plague (7 page)

Its jets burning, the Talios 720 blasted through the bay doors and into space. Feeling raw power thrumming through the ship, John moved the control stick, intending to steer away from the massive shape of Hyperspace High. Instead, the Talios spun crazily.

“What are you
doing
?” yelled Mordant as they whirled.

John twitched the control stick, righting the craft. Pressing the power panel, he sent the ship soaring into space. “Sorry,” he muttered. “These controls are
way
more sensitive than a t-dart’s.”

“I
knew
I should have insisted on flying.”

John bit back a prickly response. “Which way?” he asked instead.

“I’m plotting a course now,” Mordant replied in a businesslike tone. “Take a heading zero-eight-six-three-nine into the Omega Region. There are a few obstructions, but nothing serious and then I can give you an almost direct path. For the next few light years there’s nothing but clear black space, so you can kick up the speed.”

“Got it,” replied John. With a glance at the astrometrics screen, he carefully pulled the Talios round onto a new course and powered up the hyperspace drive.

“Uh-oh,” Mordant interrupted. “Looks like we’ve got company. Galactic Fleet.”

“Let’s see if we can outrun them. Jumping to hyperspace on my mark. In three... two... one...
mark
.”

“Oh... my...
whoaaaah
!” John yelped, as the Talios leapt forward like a missile. Any jump to hyperspace meant a huge surge of energy and speed, but Sergeant Jegger’s ship was beyond anything John had ever experienced. With a deep, throaty roar, the engines flung the Talios forward at a speed that pressed John back in the pilot’s seat, as he struggled to keep the control stick steady.

“I have
got
to get my dad to buy me one of these,” Mordant murmured.

Inside his helmet, John raised his eyebrows. Over the summer holidays John’s dad had bought him a new
skateboard
.
And he made me do a load of weeding to get it
, he thought to himself.

The half-Gargon boy interrupted his thoughts. “Trouble: those ships jumped with us. They’re still on our tail.”

Before he’d even finished speaking, the communications system crackled. “This is Captain Lassco of the Galactic Fleet,” a voice boomed in John’s ear. “Pilot of the Talios 720 out of Hyperspace High, identify yourself.”

“Rats,” John muttered.

“Repeat: ship out of Hyperspace High, identify yourself.”

John flipped a switch to open the channel. “John Riley,” he said, trying to sound more confident than he felt. “A student from Hyperspace High. We’re just—”

“All traffic to and from Hyperspace High is suspended by order of the Galactic Council,” interrupted Captain Lassco. “It’s a quarantine zone. Turn your ship around and return to Hyperspace High immediately, John Riley.”

“Sorry, captain, no can do. We’re on our way to find a cure for Zhaldarian Flu.”

“You do not have clearance for your mission. Turn your ship around.”

John cut the communications. Turning to Mordant, he asked, “Can we outrun them?”

Mordant shrugged. “They’re flying Blaze-Class Fighters. Very,
very
fast. They’ll match our speed. Plus, they’re Galactic Fleet-trained pilots.”

Without hesitation, John flicked the communications switch again. “Negative, Captain Lassco,” he said. “We’re not turning around. We’re trying to save lives here.”

“They’re almost on us,” said Mordant, panic creeping into his voice.

“This is your last warning, John Riley,” said Lassco. “Turn your ship around and return to Hyperspace High, or I will be forced to open fire. The Galactic Council will not risk the flu spreading. Billions of lives are at stake.”

“There’s no chance of infection. We’re going—”

“Don’t tell them where we’re going,” hissed Mordant. ”We’ll never get rid of them.”

“We’re
not
going anywhere near any inhabited planets,” John continued. “Call off your ships.”

Out of the corner of his eye, John saw two streaks stream past the port side of the Talios – both steaks John recognized as X-11 missiles. In a massive burst, they exploded in front of the Talios.

“That was a warning shot, John Riley. Turn your ship around.”

John’s fingers swiftly moved across the power controls. “Sorry, Captain Lassco, I just can’t do that,” he said, as he pulled the Talios into an accelerating swoop away from the following Blaze-Class Fighters.

“They’re following...
weapons fire
!” Mordant barked.

John jerked the control stick. The Talios rolled, as two more X-11 missiles exploded close by.

“Give me a new heading,” he said through gritted teeth. His hand reached out again, pushing the ship to maximum speed while he guided it into a complex manoeuvre of evasive twists and rolls.

Another close explosion shook the ship.

“Where to?” Mordant yelled.

“Anywhere I can shake them off.”

Mordant leaned over his control panel, his fingers a blur as he scanned star charts. “There’s an asteroid field at heading two-nine-eight-three-four.”

John was already pushing the control stick. It’s engines screaming, the Talios swerved away. From the corner of his eye, John saw two blips on the sensor screen immediately turn to follow.

“Incoming!” shouted Mordant.

The Talios spun as more missiles streaked past. John fought for control as they detonated, rocking the ship.

“The pilots are too good!” Mordant yelled. “You’re not going to lose them.”

Ignoring this, John shouted, “How far to the asteroid field?’

Mordant swung back to his screens. “A million kilometres and closing fast. Slow down, John.”

“
No
!
” shouted John.

“You can’t go through an asteroid field at hyperspace speed,” gasped Mordant. “It’s suicidal.”

“It’s the only way to get them off our tail!” John shouted back. “Hold on.”

“You won’t even be able to see...
gaaaaah
!” Wrapping his tentacles around his head, Mordant ducked down in his seat.

Unblinking, John stared ahead, moving the control stick with lightning reflexes. Darting and rolling, the spaceship skimmed past a blur of giant whirling boulders of ice and rock.

“Mordant, we’re through!” he yelled seconds later. “Did they slow down? Are we clear of them?”

Still making choking noises, Mordant unwrapped his tentacles from his head and leaned over the screen. He gasped. “No. They came through at the same speed as you...
You’re all insane
.”

John cursed.

“They’re charging antimatter blasters!” shrieked Mordant.

With a sinking feeling in his stomach, John whipped the control stick around again. A terrifying bolt of dark purple light sped past and disappeared into space.

“Charging again. Oh no, they’ve locked onto us. They’re going to destroy us. We’re going to d—”

“Captain Lassco, we surrender!” John shouted, slowing the Talios.

“They’re powering down weapons,” Mordant babbled. “I thought we were dead...” But his last few words were gibberish to John. The ship’s computer didn’t translate Gargon swearing.

The communications channel crackled. “Excellent choice,” the Galactic Fleet captain said drily. “Turn your ship around and and prepare to—”

“No! I demand to speak to Councillor Tarz,” John cut in. “Immediately.”

“Listen, son,” said the captain, sounding angry. “You’ve just broken a Galactic Council quarantine order. You’re in no position to make demands.”

John clenched his fists, knowing the mission depended on convincing Councillor Tarz to let him and Mordant go. He’d met Emmie’s dad at the Space Spectacular, and was sure he could convince him. “We’re trying to save
lives,
Captain Lassco,” he insisted. “Let me speak to the councillor.”

“Turn your ship around and return to Hyperspace High. I don’t want to fire on you again.” From the tone in the captain’s voice, John knew this was his final word.

The communications channel crackled again. “I’ll speak to him,” said a new voice. “This is Councillor Tarz. What do you want, John?”

“Councillor Tarz,” John said quickly. “You have to let us proceed.”

“Our orders come straight from the Galactic President,” said Emmie’s father. “No ship is to approach, or leave, Hyperspace High. Even if I wanted to let you go, John, it’s out of my hands.”

“I understand, councillor.” John hesitated for a second, wondering whether to reveal his plan.
It’s Emmie’s dad
, he reminded himself. “But there are microbes at the core of the Zaleta Nebula,” he continued. “The headmaster thinks they might be a cure.”

“The headmaster has also told the council this. The information is under consideration.”

“And while the council considers, my friends are dying,” said John, with urgency. “Think of Emmie.”

“How is she? Is there any change in her condition?” asked Councillor Tarz. John heard the worry and fear beneath his calm tone.

“I saw her a couple of hours ago. She’s very sick, councillor. Our friend Kaal will be dead soon. Please let me try to help them. You’ll never forgive yourself if you don’t.”

For a few moments, the Sillaran councillor didn’t reply. Then slowly, he said, “You know I think highly of you, John. You’re a good friend to Emmie, and I believe you can complete this mission, but there are procedures we must follow.”

“With respect, sir, that’s not good enough,” John replied, trying his best to sound reasonable. “This is the only hope we have.”

Again, the councillor was silent. Seconds ticked by. “You don’t intend to land on any planet? There’s no risk that you could spread the infection?” he asked eventually.

“No, sir. We – Mordant Talliver and I – we’re going to collect the microbes and fly straight back again.”

“I see,” Councillor Tarz said quietly. “It is a dangerous scheme. The core of a nebula is not a hospitable place.”

“Sir,” Captain Lassco’s voice interrupted. “You cannot even be thinking about this. The president—”

“The president is not in command of this fleet, Captain Lassco,” said Councillor Tarz coldly. “I am.”

“But, sir—”

Councillor Tarz did not allow him to finish. “The Galactic President has said that no ship is to leave Hyperspace High. I hereby invoke Galactic Emergency protocol sixteen A to overturn that order. John, you may proceed.”

“Councillor Tarz, I must protest,” spluttered the captain.

“Your protest is noted, Lassco. Return to quarantine guard.”

“Aye aye, turning back.”

As John watched, the two blips on the scanner screen moved back in the direction of Hyperspace High. “Thank you, sir,” John said quietly.

“Leave now, John. By invoking protocol sixteen A, I have just declared the Galactic President unfit to lead and assumed command. I will be sacked within a few hours. It would be best if you had returned to Hyperspace High with the microbes by then.”

“I’ll do my best.”

Councillor Tarz’s reply cracked with emotion. “If you save Emmie, John, I will never be able to repay you. Now,
go
.”

* * *

“We’re approaching the Zaleta Nebula,” said Mordant an hour later.

“I see it,” John replied. Ahead was a great cloud of pinks, purples, and blues, shimmering with the light of newborn stars. “Dropping speed to hyperspace factor one-fifty.”

The Talios swept into the nebula. “How far to the core?” asked John.

Mordant pored over his charts. “About five light years, heading two-two-six-two-eight. Be careful, I’m already getting system interference.”

John looked around as he turned the ship to follow the new course heading. It wasn’t the first time he had been inside a nebula, but he would still never get used to the sight. Around him, suns burned among the delicate swirling clouds, orbited by spheres of denser gases and great balls of rock that might one day become planets. Directly ahead was the nebula’s glowing core.

“Temperature rising,” said Mordant. “Five hundred degrees plus.”

Smoothly guiding the ship past rocky space debris, John held the course. The glowing core grew larger in the middle of the viewing screen.

“A thousand degrees and rising.”

John nodded. He could feel the heat seeping through the hull of the Talios. Even beneath the flightsuit and quarantine suit, his skin was beginning to prickle.

“One thousand five hundred degrees. Keep her steady.”

The core of the nebula now filled the viewing window. The visor of John’s helmet darkened automatically to protect his eyes from the glare.

“One thousand eight hundred degrees,” said Mordant calmly. “Stopping in ten seconds.”

John pulled the control stick. The Talios skimmed past a comet.

“In five... four... three... two... one. Two thousand degrees.”

“Dropping out of hyperspeed,” said John. The Talios shrieked as jets came on line, rapidly reducing the ship’s speed until it came to a complete stop.

“At this temperature, the ship’s systems are going to start degrading in about thirty-five minutes,” said Mordant.

“That’s about the same time as the nebula-diver can withstand core temperatures,” said John, unclipping his harness and pulling off his helmet. “Let’s get to it.”

In the Talios’s small airlock, Mordant flipped open the hatch to the ship’s dock. Beneath was the interior of the nebula-diver. John peered into a small, dark space, just big enough for a single person. “Looks like a squeeze,” he said under his breath. “Hope I fit.”

Mordant’s head snapped up in surprise. “Who cares whether
you
fit,” he said. “I’m going.”

“Umm,
no
. I don’t think so,” John replied quickly. “I already checked, and my body should be able to withstand the environment, for a while at least. It might not be safe for Gargons.”

“Tough,” replied Mordant. “I’m going and that’s all there is to it.”

John groaned inwardly. This was not the time for Mordant Talliver to start behaving like his old self, and John realized he still didn’t trust him. Mordant might be intelligent, but John had seen him under pressure before and knew he might crack if he ran into difficulties.

John took a deep breath. “Look, Mordant,” he said, trying to sound calm. “We’ve worked pretty well together so far, let’s not start fighting now.” He stepped towards the hatch.

“No, let’s,” replied Mordant, putting a tentacle on John’s chest and pushing him back. “You’re not in command here. And you’ve never used a nebula-diver before.”

“Have you?”

“No, but I’ve studied them.”

Frustration building, John slapped away the tentacle. “We don’t have time for this.”

“Just let me go, then.”

John squeezed his eyes shut, forcing himself to remain cool. “Star, gas, laser?” he suggested, as he opened them again.

The half-Gargon hesitated, then dropped his tentacle. “Yeah, all right. Best of three.”

Dropping to their knees, the two students beat their fists on the surface of the pod. “One... two...
three
.”

“Star,” said Mordant, holding up a hand, fingers spread.

“Gas.” John showed a clenched fist.

“Stars burn gas. That’s one to me.”

“Go.”

“One... two... three... laser,” said Mordant, pointing two fingers at John.

John held up his fist again. “Gas clogs laser. One to me.”

Mordant scowled. “One... two ... three... gas.”

“Star,” said John, lifting his hand. “Bad luck.”

Swearing under his breath, Mordant stepped back.

With beads of sweat running down his forehead, John stepped through the hatch, kneeling inside the nebula-diver and reaching for the controls. They were the most basic he had seen on any spacecraft: what looked like small motorbike handlebars for steering, with a throttle for power, an ignition button, and a lever for the braking jets. Strapped alongside the tiny pilot space were six pressurized cannisters. The small navigation panel and a microphone were the only signs of electronics.

“Ready?” growled the half-Gargon, as John lay full length, his hands gripping the steering unit.

“Ready,” said John.

“Be back here in half an hour. Any longer and the radiation will kill you.”

“Thanks for reminding me,” replied John. “Glad to hear you care.”

“Yeah... well... good luck, I suppose.”

“And to yo—”

The hatch slammed shut.

John wriggled into the space. It was dark and there was barely room to move. With one hand, he powered up the navigation screen. Through a speaker by his head, John heard Mordant’s voice: “Disengaging dock.”

For a second John held his breath, trying to calm the rising fear. Part of his brain was raving that it was madness to fly into the burning heart of a nebula in such a tiny craft. But it was quickly followed by an image of Kaal laying in his hospital bed, skin sagging and changing colour. Letting out his breath in a hiss, John stabbed at the ignition button.

With a blast of rocket boosters, the nebula-diver moved away from the underside of the Talios.

John felt his stomach lurch. Through the small viewing window, he could see the fierce glow of the nebula’s core. Gritting his teeth, he headed towards the heat and radiation. There was no turning back now.