hangar.
Sergeant Jegger’s voice roared in his ears: “Get a grip, cadet. Pull back, pull back . Decrease speed.”
Not daring to take his eyes off the view ahead, John reached out and jabbed at the panels blindly, trying to slow down the t-dart while struggling with the control stick to bring it under control.
“Are you trying to kill yourself, you crazy rookie? Cut your speed NOW !”
Whatever John pressed made it worse. The ship plunged and spun wildly around the vast hangar. John felt his face freeze in terror. Another wall. He pulled the stick again, forcing the craft to flip once more. Now there was another t-dart directly in his path. John threw the stick forward, but it was too late. For a second he saw Kaal’s face, eyes staring and jaw moving as he shouted something. Then a huge crash — the sound of tearing metal.
Everything went black.
* * *
“It’s OK, he’s just stunned. Move back.”
Sergeant Jegger was above him, staring down coldly. “Kaal,” John gasped. “Is Kaal all right?”
His friend’s face moved into view above. “Fine,” Kaal grinned, showing off his impressive fangs. “These training ships have amazing safety features.”
“What happened up there?” demanded Jegger, pulling John roughly to his feet. “It was a simple manoeuvre.”
“I... uh... wasn’t—” John started. He was about to admit that he hadn’t been listening properly when Kaal interrupted.
“It’s his first day at Hyperspace High, sir. He’s never been on a spaceship before and he didn’t do the basic course last term.”
Jegger uttered what John thought must be a curse under his breath. The ship’s computer didn’t translate it. Glaring down at John, he snapped, “Is that what you were trying to tell me?”
John nodded, expecting the sergeant to react furiously. Instead, he looked John up and down, shook his head and said, “My fault, then. Report to me at zero eight hundred hours tomorrow. I’ll soon have you up to speed.”
“Yes, sir,” said John.
“Only not so much speed as today, eh?” Jegger’s mouth twitched at the corner.
Before John could reply, the chiming sound he had heard back in Ska’s Café rang again.
“Class dismissed!” barked the sergeant.
Chapter 7
John was in a gloomy mood and the next class didn’t lift it. Kaal and Emmie led him to a laboratory, where Professor Hispus, a four-armed teacher whose head looked like a snake’s, was waiting. The lesson was Advanced Life Form Biology, and John knew he was out of his depth before the professor had even finished the first sentence of his lecture.
Complex charts and symbols flashed across large screens hung around the room as John groaned quietly to himself. While the students around him took out ThinScreens and made notes, John tried to make himself look as small as possible in case the professor asked him a question. It didn’t work.
“You with the yellow hair next to Kaal, what is your name?” Hispus asked an hour into the lesson.
“John Riley,” John replied, sitting up straighter.
“I see you’re not taking notes, John Riley, so I can only suppose you must know all this already. Perhaps you could remind the class of the four major differences between the DNA structure of Elvians and Sillarans.”
“I’m sorry,” replied John. “It’s my first day and—”
“The Earthling’s as pathetic at biology as he is at flying t-darts,” Mordant whispered loudly. “Maybe they let him into the school to make Tarz look clever for a change.”
His hovering Serve-U-Droid spun, lights blinking, at his shoulder, “Yes, Master Talliver. Hyperspace High is supposed to be the most exclusive school in the galaxy. One wonders why the headmaster has allowed the primitive to become a student.”
John blushed. Emmie and Kaal both glared at the Mordant and his rude droid.
“That will do,” snapped the professor. “John Riley, see me after class for a reading list. It seems you have a lot to catch up
Sergeant Jegger’s voice roared in his ears: “Get a grip, cadet. Pull back, pull back . Decrease speed.”
Not daring to take his eyes off the view ahead, John reached out and jabbed at the panels blindly, trying to slow down the t-dart while struggling with the control stick to bring it under control.
“Are you trying to kill yourself, you crazy rookie? Cut your speed NOW !”
Whatever John pressed made it worse. The ship plunged and spun wildly around the vast hangar. John felt his face freeze in terror. Another wall. He pulled the stick again, forcing the craft to flip once more. Now there was another t-dart directly in his path. John threw the stick forward, but it was too late. For a second he saw Kaal’s face, eyes staring and jaw moving as he shouted something. Then a huge crash — the sound of tearing metal.
Everything went black.
* * *
“It’s OK, he’s just stunned. Move back.”
Sergeant Jegger was above him, staring down coldly. “Kaal,” John gasped. “Is Kaal all right?”
His friend’s face moved into view above. “Fine,” Kaal grinned, showing off his impressive fangs. “These training ships have amazing safety features.”
“What happened up there?” demanded Jegger, pulling John roughly to his feet. “It was a simple manoeuvre.”
“I... uh... wasn’t—” John started. He was about to admit that he hadn’t been listening properly when Kaal interrupted.
“It’s his first day at Hyperspace High, sir. He’s never been on a spaceship before and he didn’t do the basic course last term.”
Jegger uttered what John thought must be a curse under his breath. The ship’s computer didn’t translate it. Glaring down at John, he snapped, “Is that what you were trying to tell me?”
John nodded, expecting the sergeant to react furiously. Instead, he looked John up and down, shook his head and said, “My fault, then. Report to me at zero eight hundred hours tomorrow. I’ll soon have you up to speed.”
“Yes, sir,” said John.
“Only not so much speed as today, eh?” Jegger’s mouth twitched at the corner.
Before John could reply, the chiming sound he had heard back in Ska’s Café rang again.
“Class dismissed!” barked the sergeant.
Chapter 7
John was in a gloomy mood and the next class didn’t lift it. Kaal and Emmie led him to a laboratory, where Professor Hispus, a four-armed teacher whose head looked like a snake’s, was waiting. The lesson was Advanced Life Form Biology, and John knew he was out of his depth before the professor had even finished the first sentence of his lecture.
Complex charts and symbols flashed across large screens hung around the room as John groaned quietly to himself. While the students around him took out ThinScreens and made notes, John tried to make himself look as small as possible in case the professor asked him a question. It didn’t work.
“You with the yellow hair next to Kaal, what is your name?” Hispus asked an hour into the lesson.
“John Riley,” John replied, sitting up straighter.
“I see you’re not taking notes, John Riley, so I can only suppose you must know all this already. Perhaps you could remind the class of the four major differences between the DNA structure of Elvians and Sillarans.”
“I’m sorry,” replied John. “It’s my first day and—”
“The Earthling’s as pathetic at biology as he is at flying t-darts,” Mordant whispered loudly. “Maybe they let him into the school to make Tarz look clever for a change.”
His hovering Serve-U-Droid spun, lights blinking, at his shoulder, “Yes, Master Talliver. Hyperspace High is supposed to be the most exclusive school in the galaxy. One wonders why the headmaster has allowed the primitive to become a student.”
John blushed. Emmie and Kaal both glared at the Mordant and his rude droid.
“That will do,” snapped the professor. “John Riley, see me after class for a reading list. It seems you have a lot to catch up
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