The Jelly People (5 page)

Kip was about to reply when his SpaceCuff buzzed.

MoNa's message didn't make sense! She seemed to be saying the Jellies sent the messages to WorldCorp. But why would they want Earthlings to know about their trade in Sea Sprouts?

Unless . . .

Kip shivered.
The Jellies sent those messages to lure us here, he thought. Humans are known
throughout the galaxies for being smart. By
making us slaves, the Jellies could prove that
they're smarter.

Once Kip looked for it, the evidence was clear. The whirlpool, for example – it could have been made by the Jellies' giant propellers. It was designed to suck Kip and Finbar under the water.

Now Kip was sure of one thing.
The
Jellies were expecting us!

Kip seethed. Being a slave was terrible. Walking into a trap was worse.

Kip's tracking tattoo began to tingle with electricity. Time was running out! If they didn't get back down to Jelly City with a suit full of warm water soon, the eels would come after them.

But there had to be
something
he could do to take back control.

‘We've got to erase the tattoos,' Kip said firmly.

‘Girds have been trying for years,' replied Virgil, shaking his head. ‘It is painful to have part of the Jellies inside us.'

‘The fluid is like the Jellies' version of blood,' Finbar said, thinking aloud.

Kip said nothing for a second, but his mind was racing. Then –

‘That's it, Finbar!' Kip suddenly yelled. ‘The fluid is like blood!'

Finbar, Virgil and the rest of the Girds looked at Kip like he was mad.

‘The giant leeches under the surface!' Kip added. ‘Maybe they can suck the Jelly fluid out of our arms.'

Virgil shook his head. ‘Your plan won't work,' he said. ‘The Death Slugs are poisonous. If they touch your skin, you'll die instantly.'

‘Death Slugs?' Kip said, puzzled. ‘They just look like leeches.'

Kip thought back to Space Scout training. He remembered a long, boring lecture called Identifying Alien Sea Creatures. He never thought the lecture would be important. But now, it was coming in very handy…

Without another word, Kip leapt off the floating reed island. He took off his gloves and disappeared under the water.

Holding his breath, Kip dived down. He spotted a leech wriggling past. He scooped up the leech and shot back up to the surface.

Kip burst out of the water. The leech had attached itself to Kip's hand and started sucking his blood. Kip held out his hand to the others.

‘See? Gross, but harmless.'

‘But…the Jellies told us they were deadly,' Virgil stammered.

Of course they did
, Kip thought grimly.

He plucked the leech from his hand. Rolling up the sleeves of his AirSuit and Sea Stocking, Kip put the leech on his tattoo.

The Girds watched in silence as the leech sucked Kip's skin. The leech swelled up to three, then four times its size. But instead of sucking Kip's blood, the leech was sucking out the Jelly fluid. In seconds, Kip's tattoo was gone.

‘Let me try,' said Virgil.

The other Girds watched as Virgil picked the bloated leech off Kip's arm and put it on his own tattoo.

‘It's working!' Virgil said, as his tattoo disappeared.

Finbar and the rest of the Girds jumped into the water to grab their own leeches. Soon, everyone was erasing the hated Jelly tattoos.

They were all free!

Well, everyone except Duke.

CHAPTER 9

‘Now that we're free, we need to go back down to Jelly City,' Kip said to Finbar.

Finbar was a loyal 2iC, and he nodded.

They both knew it would be extremely dangerous. But Kip already had a plan in mind.

Jumping back into the water, he opened the valve on his AirSuit. Warm water gushed in. The suit swelled to twice its size and weight. Finbar filled his suit too.

Kip's plan was to pretend they had fetched water like good Jelly slaves. That would be the easiest way back into the city.

It was time to say goodbye to Virgil and the other Girds.

‘What will you do now?' Kip asked Virgil.

‘Thanks to you, we're free to move around our planet again,' said Virgil. ‘We'll build our floating city far away from the Jellies. The Girds will become strong again.'

Waving goodbye, Kip and Finbar dived into the red sea. In their heavy AirSuits, the trip down to the sea floor was easy. With their arms and legs in the pin-drop position, they sank like stones.

Jelly City soon loomed up below them. Kip and Finbar swam through the entrance, past the eels with their glittering dagger teeth.

Nurdor was waiting for them. He didn't look happy.

Beside Nurdor was a giant barrel with a hose attached. Nurdor fitted the hose to Kip's AirSuit. He drained the warm water from Kip's suit, then Finbar's.

Luckily, Nurdor couldn't see they had erased their tattoos because their arms were covered by their suits.

‘Too slow, slaves,' Nurdor said. ‘You've made me angry.' He flicked one of his poisoned tentacles towards them.

‘We'll do better next time,' Kip said, fingers crossed behind his back.

‘Next time will have to wait,' Nurdor snapped. ‘Your pesky minisaur has escaped. He won't obey anyone! The King wants minisaur chops for dinner. You must catch your bratty pet for him.'

Kip shot a glance at Finbar. This was their chance to save Duke!

‘Go to the King's Palace immediately,' Nurdor said. ‘And don't even think of escaping. Remember, we can track you.'

That's what you think
, Kip answered silently.

Kip and Finbar set off, half-swimming, half-walking again through Jelly City. The King's Palace was easy to spot. It was the biggest, shiniest tower in the whole city. A giant black pearl carved into the shape of a crown sat at the top of the tower.

Ignoring the stares of passing Jellies, Kip and Finbar swam quickly through the city. Outside the palace, Kip found a cage made of strange bones. Duke had chewed through it like a pair of spaceboots. He was nowhere to be seen.

‘How's he breathing under water?' Kip asked Finbar. Then it struck him. ‘Oh, of course! Duke's amphibious.'

Some reptiles were, like crocodiles
.

Kip still had Duke's sonic leash in the pocket of his normal clothes. Frantically, he reached under the layers of his AirSuit and SeaStocking to dig it out. Luckily, the sonic leash was waterproof.

Kip seriously doubted the leash would work. Duke never obeyed it in Dino-Training classes! But Kip switched it to the Call Dino setting anyway.

The sonic leash sent out its ultra high-frequency sound, which only Duke could hear.

Kip and Finbar waited. Nothing. Duke was nowhere to be seen.

Then…

OOMPH!

Out of nowhere, a solid green shape leapt into Kip's arms. Duke!

‘Stop it, boy!' Kip laughed, as Duke tried to lick Kip's face through his AirSuit. He was relieved to see Duke again, but he put his pet down. ‘We've got to leave right now!'

Ignoring him, Duke rolled over and played dead. This was worse than Dino-Training! They really had to get out of there.

‘Come with us now,' said Finbar slowly, ‘and you'll never have to go back to Dino-Training.'

At once, Duke jumped up and raced over to Kip's side.

Who said minisaurs aren't smart?
Kip and Finbar smiled at each other.

Kip quickly hid Duke inside his AirSuit.

Now all they had to do was escape Jelly City!

CHAPTER 10

Kip and Finbar half-ran, half-swam back through the city. Nurdor was waiting for them at the entrance.

‘Did you find the minisaur?' he growled.

Duke's tail tickled Kip's neck.

‘Um…no,' Kip said.

‘That's just great,' said Nurdor sarcastically. ‘Now I'll have to find the King something else for dinner. He'll be furious.'

He stared at Kip with glowing blue eyes. ‘Wait! What's that bulge in your AirSuit?' Nurdor asked, tentacles on his hips.

‘Oh, it's nothing,' said Kip.

‘It's shaped exactly like a minisaur!' Nurdor hissed.

‘SWIM FOR IT!' Kip yelled.

Kip and Finbar surged past Nurdor and out of the city. The other Jellies stared.

‘After them!' Nurdor screeched at the Jellies nearby.

Kip was already exhausted. They'd been swimming for hours. But he gathered
every shred of energy he had left. This time, they were swimming for their lives.

‘Remember, Earthlings,' Nurdor yelled at Kip and Finbar. ‘There is no escape!'

Just watch us, Nurdor,
Kip thought.