Pirate Ambush (3 page)

Peri was certain she was hiding something, but what? After all they’d been through together, Peri trusted Selene with his life. If she didn’t want to talk about her family, he wouldn’t push her on it. ‘What’s the new gadget for?’ he asked, changing the subject.

Selene took a deep breath. ‘I call it an “electro-pulse”. When it’s finished, it will be able to fire an electromagnetic wave that disrupts certain types of electronics.’

‘Who cares?’ Diesel yelled. ‘I beat Peri on the final test.’

Otto and Selene shared a look. Then they both burst out laughing.

Diesel put his hands on his hips. ‘How dare you? You’re mocking the emperor’s son. The
victorious
emperor’s son, who –’

‘Stupid space-monkey!’ Otto boomed. ‘Selene hacked into the main computers! We saw the whole race! You lost!’

‘What do you know, you long-necked freak?’ Diesel shouted. ‘I won the race. Peri just crossed the finish line first.’

‘Who cares about some silly race?’ Otto boomed. ‘We should be off on another mission by now! You humans are so slow! Meigwor engineers would already have this ship fixed!’

Beep. Beep. Beep.
Peri’s com-unit sounded.

Peri answered. It was his father. ‘Peri, come up to the Bridge. I want to show you the
Phoenix
’s new upgrades.’

Peri shut off the com-unit and turned to Selene. ‘If my dad knows I’m here, do you think they’ve discovered you too?’

‘No way,’ Selene said. ‘It’s your bionic connection that gave you away. Even I can’t override that.’ She smiled. ‘Hurry up! I want to know what they’re doing to my ship.’

Peri smiled as he ran off. That was more like the Selene he knew.

Chapter 3

‘What have you done?’ Peri gasped.

It looked like a cosmic tornado had hit the Bridge. His parents were kneeling in the middle of the wreckage surrounded by laser-cutters and space-wrenches. Bundles of cables were sticking out of holes across the Bridge. The
Phoenix
’s control panel was resting upside down, sprouting wires along its entire length. Zip-dials, switches and monitors were scattered everywhere. Peri’s circuits tingled in sympathy with the ship. It was as if part of him had been ripped out and put on display.

His father stood up. He smoothed down his lab-suit as he pulled a couple of capacitors out of his hair.

‘We’re almost done,’ he said. ‘We’ve been carrying out repairs and upgrades.’

Peri stared at the mess. It looked more like they had been trying to destroy everything.

‘You’ll love the new teleportation feature,’ his father continued. ‘You can beam yourselves instantly to any part of the ship.’

His mother pointed to a large metallic box. ‘We just need to finish installing the Red Helix device and then she’s ready to go.’

‘What was wrong with the Blue Helix?’ Peri asked. On their way back to the solar system, the Blue Helix had saved all their lives by allowing the
Phoenix
to travel back in time by a few seconds. Without it, the ship would have exploded in a vortex.

His mother bent over and started shuffling through a pile of space-o-metric diagrams and circuitry plans. ‘I have a chart here somewhere. The Red Helix is even more sophisticated. We discovered a special particle that –’

Peri’s father interrupted. ‘We shouldn’t be telling him. It’s top secret.’

‘But I have to fly the ship,’ Peri objected. ‘Surely I should know how it works?’

Peri’s father shook his head. ‘The Red Helix must only be used as an absolute last resort. You don’t need to know what it does. Your bionic connection will sense if you need to use it.’

‘So why did you ask me to come up here?’ Peri asked.

‘Because,’ his mother replied, ruffling his hair, ‘it’s
your
turn for an upgrade.’

Peri’s stomach buzzed with fear. ‘Upgrade?’

‘We know what we’re doing, Peri,’ his father said. ‘We did create your bionic circuits! We just need to check you over. We’ve learned a lot from your first trip out with the
Phoenix
and we’ve got some improvements to your bionic abilities.’

‘We’ll deactivate all your pain protocols,’ his mother said. ‘You won’t feel a thing.’

Looking around the Bridge, Peri couldn’t help worrying what having an upgrade might involve, but he trusted his parents. He nodded.

‘
Phoenix
,’ his father ordered, ‘activate Experiment Tune-up Protocol.’

Peri braced himself as the ship’s robotic arms swept down from the ceiling and picked him up.

Shhhhuuupt!
A black-cushioned table slid out from underneath the 360-monitor and the
Phoenix
rested him on it. Instantly thick straps flew around him and pinned him to the table.

Peri wrestled against the restraints. ‘What on Neptune are you doing?’

‘Relax,’ his mother said, rushing to Peri’s side. She stroked his head. ‘This is for your own safety, to keep you perfectly still.’

Then his mother pushed a wire up his nose. There was a flash of burning pain. He closed his eyes. Ones and zeros raced through his mind. Computer code! Peri felt dizzy and detached from his body. His parents’ voices sounded far away – as if he wasn’t really in the room.

‘All upgrade protocols activated,’ his father said.

Peri could feel his connection with the
Phoenix
strengthen. His thoughts seemed to leave his body and flood into the ship’s computer. His mind stumbled through blueprints and computer logs. Suddenly, he saw a black-and-white image of the Bridge. He was peering at it through the ship’s security cameras. He could see his own body lying on the table. His parents were removing components and circuits along his arms, legs and chest. They were replacing them with new, smaller ones.

His parents moved on to his head, using a flesh-healing nano-beam to repair his skin as they went.

‘Peri.’ His mother looked at the
Phoenix
’s Bridge camera. ‘We need you back inside your body for the last bit of the upgrade.’

Peri moved his thoughts back into his body. His limbs were still numb, but he could see again. He blinked, hoping his parents were almost done.

‘Good,’ his father said. ‘You’ve just tested your tri-quad-quantum connection with the
Phoenix
. Now, tell us about the bionic abilities you’ve already discovered.’

Peri thought back over his adventures. ‘Um . . . the Fight-or-Flight response?’

His mother nodded. ‘Good! Fight-or-Flight gives you temporary superhuman strength and speed.’

His father tapped his computer pad. ‘We’ve increased those superhuman abilities by a hundred and ninety-four per cent, and we’ve improved your capacity to self-generate energy. You’re much more efficient now. No more battery problems!’

‘You still need to eat properly and get plenty of sleep,’ his mother added. ‘You are only
part
bionic. Your human side needs looking after too. It wouldn’t hurt to eat some vegetables. I’ve seen your food-log – too much space-cream.’

‘What food-log?’ Peri asked.

His mother tutted. ‘Your bionic systems record everything you eat.’

Peri scowled.
I’ve been betrayed by my own bionic body!

‘Give Peri a break,’ his father said. ‘His circuitry is the most sophisticated technology available. It can handle a little treat –’

The lights on the Bridge flashed as an announcement rang out.
‘General Pegg orders Peri and Diesel to the Command Centre within the next ten minutes
.
Nine minutes and fifty-eight seconds remaining.’

Peri’s father disconnected him and helped him up from the table. ‘We’d better wrap this all up.’

His mother was concentrating on sealing up his skin with the nano-beam.

‘There,’ his mother said. ‘Ready for action!’

Shrrruppt.
Diesel appeared on the Bridge. ‘Er, hello,’ he said hurriedly to Peri’s parents, then turned to Peri. ‘Come on. We’ve got to go.’ Without waiting for a response, Diesel started to run.

Peri raced after him and out of the
Phoenix
. He caught up with him just as he left the launch bay.

‘What do you think General Pegg wants?’ Peri asked.

‘Probably wants to kick you out of the IFA for being a wastoid.’

‘You don’t think they know about Selene and Otto?’ Peri whispered.

‘If they do, it’s entirely your fault,’ Diesel said. ‘I was all for leaving them behind in the Ubi galaxy. They’ve got to make me a Star Fighter after I whipped you on that obstacle course.’

‘I crossed the finish line first,’ Peri reminded him.

Diesel just smirked. ‘Show me the scores to prove it.’

Peri wished it was that simple. General Pegg didn’t seem to really care about their scores. He wasn’t happy with either Peri or Diesel.

And that meant trouble.

Chapter 4

Peri and Diesel sprinted to the nearest transport-tube.

‘Come on,’ Peri yelled, jabbing the command-deck button repeatedly until the doors finally closed. ‘General Pegg’s temper is not going to get better if we keep him waiting.’