while when Captain Redlock came to tell them heâd spoken to Xanax.
âWeâre going at maximum power to the planet Goran, our first destination. Itâs a small planet which has good relations with most other worlds, so theyâll be able to help you find your homes. I just hope we reach there before Xanax catches us.â
The children looked uncomfortable as they sat on the edge of his bed with their legs crossed in front of them.
âThank you!â said Zed quickly and bent over. Soon they were all pressing their hands at the top of their legs. They couldnât sit still.
âWhat did you feed them?â Redlock quizzed Rudi.
Rudi explained that they had never eaten real food before.
âHave you ever been to the toilet before?â he asked them. Their puzzled looks told him the answer.
âOK, ladies first.â Dee and Emm took turns to go to the toilet. Through the toilet door, Captain Redlock explained what they had to do.
âOooh! My tummyâs leaking!â shouted Emm.
âItâs OK⦠thatâs normal,â Captain Redlock shouted back.
The boys enjoyed the fact that they could go standing up and spray around the bowl. Emm didnât think that was very nice.
âSitting down is more elegant,â she announced.
XL didnât need to use the toilet because he didnât have a mouth for eating. He just tutted at the childish pleasure they had got from the food. He didnât admit it, but part of him wished he could join in the fun.
Dee did try to let him join in. She held him over the toilet bowl so he could pee too.
Very quickly she realised he didnât enjoy being dangled over the water.
As she moved him away from the toilet, they were all bathed in a red light and a horn started. She ran back to Redlockâs cabin where the others were.
âWhatâs happening?â she asked. They looked at each other, knowing the answer but not daring to say the word. Xanax.
Rudi burst into the room.
âOK kids, itâs time to move. The Captain has a plan to help you. I just hope it works, I really do.â
On the command deck, Redlock had ordered the red alert, locked all the docking stations and told the crew to continue at maximum speed to the planet Goran. They had detected one of Xanaxâs ships closing in on them. The two ships were hurtling through space in a race to the planet Goran. Slowly but surely, the professor was getting closer.
Xanaxâs huge face appeared in the air again. Wherever anyone moved, his eyes followed them. Each crew member felt like he was talking directly to them, even though he was addressing the captain.
âCaptain,â Xanax was not smiling. It was all he could do to contain his anger. His head was shinier than ever, and the veins stood out on it. âThe life forms in the containers you hold are extremely dangerous. If they escape they could cause some horrible diseases. They are very nasty organisms.â
Redlock clenched his fist. He wanted to punch the holograph. They werenât germs, they were children. Redlock wanted to say that but he didnât want to give away the fact that he had found them.
âAll I ask is that you allow us to dock and remove our containers,â Xanax wiped his hand over his head. The squeak from his black rubber glove made everyone wince. As they stared at his eyes, they felt the temperature drop. His stare was so cold it sucked all the warmth from the room.
âOnce the containers are on my ship, they are the property of their new owners. You have no right to take them back. Itâs the intergalactic law.â Captain Redlock had his argument ready.
âI donât care much for intergalactic law,â Xanax said quietly. âCall the space police if you want, see how much it helps you.â
âYou canât make me hand the containers over,â replied Redlock.
Xanax managed a smile for real. He stretched a hand out from his
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